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Seventeen-year-old Cody Meadows says clogging is in his blood.

“My grandparents both clogged, and my mother clogged as a teenager,” he said.

His twin sister also clogs but right now is focusing on playing the guitar.

Meadows has been clogging since he was 9.

“I like other forms of dance, too, like jazz, hip-hop, and lyrical, which is similar to ballet, but my main focus is on contemporary clogging,” he said.

When his family moved from West Virginia to North Carolina about three years ago, his mother, Leslie, looked for a clogging studio. She found one halfway between Trinity and High Point — Pride of Carolina studio.

The studio’s director is Mercy Martinez, who has been dancing for more than 25 years and was invited to become a member of the All American Clogging Team in 1986. She’s a certified judge and instructor and was inducted into the Clogging Hall of Fame in 2008.

Martinez has classes for ages 4 and up and Pride of Carolina competition teams for elementary through senior adults.

Meadows is on the adult team and the junior/senior team, which has students from 12 to 22.

“Cody is wonderful, awesome,” Martinez said. “He has won 'an overall’ in many of our competitions this year. He takes clogging seriously, just like school.”

This year, Meadows won two solo events — one in Lenoir and one in Lexington. He was invited to dance at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn., with the Opry cast on April 23.

“Ever since they told me, I have been ready to go,” he said.

“I have always received support from my family, the other team members and my three teachers at Pride of the Carolina,” Meadows. “All of the teachers have won competitions and some have danced professionally.”

Instructor Vanessa Martinez has danced at many ventures and pursues her love of dance by performing in community theater and by competing.

Instructor Chris Kennedy performed with the championship Bailey Mountain Cloggers when he was in college and performed at the International Folk Dance Festival in Spain.

“Cody tries hard in every routine,” Kennedy said. “He doesn’t give up. He gives 110 percent. We emphasize good sportsmanship when we are at competitions.”

Meadows, a junior at Randolph Early College High School, said he would like to share his enjoyment of clogging by teaching others.

“Cody has made lots of friends at the different competitions because of his sportsmanship and his willingness to help,” Kennedy said.

One of his ultimate goals is to perform professionally.

“Cody is on a great team, and the team has taught him a lot,” his mom said. “Without the team, the directors and the teachers, he might not be growing as a dancer or going to Nashville.”

If you have news of High Point, contact me at mjohnson2@triad.rr.com.