But what is a Schuhplattler?

The Schuhplattler certainly belongs to the most characteristic of all Bavarian forms of expression. The word "Schuhplattler" has its origins in the fact that the dancer strikes the soles of his shoes ('Schuhe') with his hands held flat ("platt'). The 'inventors' were simple folk: farmers, hunters, woodsmen. It's difficult to determine the exact origin and history of the dance.

The Schuhplattler began as a courtship dance, with each boy trying to outdo the other's powerful leaps, dancing, and intricate striking sequences to impress the girls. All this originally took place no-holds- barred without any sort of established figures or rules. 

It was later, when the waltz was introduced to the Bavarian region, that women were included in the dance, training to spin so their skirts would form elegant “bell” shapes, and the dance began to form structure. These groups of people became known as “Trachtlers”, from the name of their attire: "Tracht”. These Trachten Vereine (trachten groups) formed all across the Alpine region and have survived ot ths day, each one upholding the traditions of their towns or villages.

Before the schuhplattler, folkstanzes (folk dances) were the common form of dance at any engagement in the region. A Folk dance is a form of community dance. Simple dances designed to be taught easily and performed with anyone interested. There are festivals throughout the summer where the folk dance is performed in parks and beer gardens, where people are encouraged to learn and dance.

While this tradition began centuries ago, there are still numerous groups who uphold these traditions across North America and Germany.