Danielle Buice Plimpton — Director & Choreographer, Bailey Mountain Cloggers Danielle graduated from Mars Hill University (class of 2006), hailing from Pickens, South Carolina. She was an active member, and on the leadership team of the Bailey Mountain Cloggers throughout her college years. After graduating, she was promptly hired as the assistant director and soon took over as interim director, eventually becoming the full-time head of the troupe Mars Hill University. Danielle is trained across a wide spectrum of styles, including ballet, jazz, clogging, gumboot, Irish, hip-hop, musical theater, and tap. Under her direction, the Bailey Mountain Cloggers have showcased their artistry in numerous countries, including Ireland, Spain, Costa Rica, Greece, Canada, England, France, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Colombia, the Netherlands, and Portugal. As director, Danielle has overseen 17 of the team's national championship wins at the America’s Clogging Hall of Fame (ACHF) Nationals She proudly led the team to their 30th national title, with several individual accolades for team members. Danielle expressed profound pride in their performance, calling it one of the best yet. In 2024, the team secured its 31st national championship. Danielle’s dedication to preserving Appalachian dance culminated in receiving the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Award, a high honor recognizing significant contributions to Southern Appalachian folk and dance traditions. Danielle views the Bailey Mountain Cloggers as more than a dance team, they're cultural ambassadors. Through performance and international tours, they bridge cultural divides, “sharing traditions of clogging around the world,” she says. According to a dancer quoted in Garden & Gun magazine, Danielle's standout quality is her unwavering support, especially for students facing financial or academic pressures. She often finds creative ways to secure scholarships so students can continue performing.