The National Shag Dance has been around for over 80 years. Originating along the Atlantic ocean in Cherry Grove Beach, South Carolina the dance has remained a part of the culture since its creation. Each year North Myrtle Beach holds a shag competition where dancers from all over come to attend and dance. The shag dance is a partner dance that is typically done to shag music or upbeat beach music. The dance is coined to be a descendent of the Carolina Jitterbug and its predecessor “Little Apple” which is a version of “The Big Apple”.
There have been many films made about the shack dance that feature shaggers from all over the world. However, if you don’t know much about the shag, no worries you came to the right spot. Here’s everything you need to know about the Carolina shag dance.
Technique
To shag, you just need to learn a basic six-count step. Within the six-count step, you will do an eight-step pattern danced in a slot. A slot is an imaginary rectangle that the dancers use to remain in position as they move back and forth with the leader. The rhythm of the dance is very similar to the six-count swing as they both include a triple step, counted as one and two, three and four, 5-6. Steps 1-4 should take about as much time to complete as five and six altogether. So the first four steps are much faster than the last two. Very simply put, the dance is a repetition of stepping forward and backward and switching your weight between your right and your left side throughout your steps.
Key Tips:
When dancing the Carolina Shag it should look and feel as if the dancers are mirroring each other’s movements. The key is to be completely in sync with your partner. The man typically leads with his left foot as the woman follows suit with her right foot. This is where your slot will begin. Each dancer should be doing the same step as the other on the opposite foot. The better you get the easier it becomes to introduce more complicated steps into your routine. The basic steps are a necessity before adding anything else.
It can be beneficial to watch a classic swing dance as the steps are quite similar. You can even join a dance club for shag dancing where you can learn from Shaggers of all levels.
Carolina Shag Club
Each year the Carolina Shag Club hosts the SOS, or shag competition. The club was originally started in Greenville South Carolina and has grown ever since. Back in 1978 a club called tramps opened in Greenville and quickly turned into a shag phenomenon. When the DJ began to play the beach music, a group of beach lovers would get up and start shagging. This eventually ended up turning into a Wednesday beach night shag event.
However, the club did not stop there. In fact, each year you can find a shag competition at Fat Harold’s Beach Club where dancers shag the night away on the dance floor. There are many clubs in North Carolina, Charleston, Alabama, and even Carolina Beach that still offer shag nights on a regular basis. The SOS or dance competition is a way to bring the Shagger’s together and keep the dance alive.
As the shag quickly became the state dance of South Carolina, many became interested in learning the popular dance. To this day there are spots in North Myrtle Beach that have a rhythm and blues night with a shag dance teacher. They will teach you the basic footwork so you can be shaggin on Ocean Drive in no time. No matter where you are from, coming to the Grand Strand to shad or make you feel like you’re a part of history as you see some of the most famous shag dancers in the Hall of Fame. We hope to see you soon and good luck practicing your rock step.