CITIES measure their prestige using different criteria. Some have huge cathedrals, others have rare artefacts and still more boast huge, but totally useless, statues.

Happily, as we all know, Exeter has always been in a different class – and proves it by having not one, but two Appalachian clog dancing groups.

Perhaps even more intriguing, Exeter's Appalachian clog dancers, are neither Appalachian, nor do they use clogs.

But they can certainly dance – and in this case, one out of three ain't bad at all.

The originals, the Alive and Kicking group, meet on the very top floor of Exeter Phoenix, in Gandy Street.

Any man arriving early may find himself studying the rather cobwebbed ceiling of the dance studio's ante-room, for those who do not avert their eyes will find themselves bewitched by the gyrations of Exeter's belly dancing troupe.

The floor is still warm and resonant from these exotic movements when the cloggers take their turn, with their own percussive and toe-tapping style that will have even the most flat-footed anxious to get up and join in.

Leading the way on the floor is Jo Wright, the founder and leader.

Explained Jo: "It all started at the Sidmouth Folk Festival, in 1988, when I was quite young. It was the music that first attracted me. It was such an exciting sound. The dancing was unusual, and different, and I just thought then, I could start a group here.

"There turned out to be quite a lot of interest and we were the first, or one of the first, Appalachian clog dance groups in the South West."

Clogging is a step dance characterised by a very erect upper body. The basic clogging step consists of a double toe shuffle, where the dancer brushes forward the toe and then the heel of the free foot, shifts his or her weight to that foot, then rocks onto the other foot, before stepping back onto the foot that had originally been free. The leg is generally raised a little more than six inches off the ground in clogging.

Jo, who makes regular trips to Philadelphia to check out the newest American moves in the dance, said they currently had nine dancers. "It has been a mixed group but just now it is all women but, of course, men are welcome," she said.

"You have to be reasonably fit because the dance is very fast and percussive – in fact the recent success of Riverdance proved very good for us in that it generated a great deal of interest."

Just like the Irish superstars, the Appalachian clog dancers, don't actually wear clogs but rather black, lace-up ankle boots with steel toes and heel.

The noise on a wooden dance floor is as impressive as it is loud. You certainly wouldn't want them practising in the flat above.

But practise they do, hard and fast, for they are much in demand, taking part in Sidmouth Festival along with others in Wimbourne, Chippenham and Didmarton

The essential music for the dancers is provided by two fiddles, a banjo and guitar, but on this evening a fiddle in the hands of Jane Cope, along with a guitar played by Alan Howlett, more than suffice. For more music the group can rely on Sue Mentz, on fiddle, and John Phillips, who plays guitar and banjo.

Said Jane: "I play for several groups but I have to say the energy of this music is wonderful. It is great fun and a good bunch of people."

Julie Page, who at 58 is one of the older dancers, said that like some others she had taken up the dance as on off-shoot of her interest in morris dancing.

Julie said: "Morris dancing was good fun but the group I was with fizzled out and a friend suggested I try Appalachian. I went along to try it out and just caught the bug – and now I have been doing it for 18 years.

"The social side is wonderful too, particularly here at the Phoenix.

"I suppose the dancing is a hotchpotch of English, Scottish and Irish clog dancing, melded with Native American and Afro-American styles. It is very international and, when I was in Canada, I saw that their First Nation dances had some of the same steps that we use.

"The music has strong Celtic influences and we choreograph much of our own routines."

Stephanie Walker is also a morris dancer, with the Glory of the West group, but enjoys a change of pace with the Appalachians. She said: "I really enjoy them both. I came along to classes here when the children were young and it was an evening out and that was about 10 years ago. "

As for the other Appalachian group, who meet at the far end of town, in Sidwell Street Methodist Church, they are complementary rather than competitors.

Said Jo: "They were formed by members who wanted to try something a little different, including Irish dancing. We are more traditionalists but we get on really well."

For those interested in the Appalachian clog dancing, more details are available on www.alive-and-kicking.org