Shag History
The shag originated in the late 1930’s in clubs in Myrtle Beach, SC. The
shag has roots in jitterbug and Lindy Hop Swing, which date to the 1920’s.
Early Shaggers called themselves "Jitterbugs.” The early swing music was
fast, big band swing. The term "Shag" came about over a decade later. By the
early '50s, shag adopted the tempo and feel of rhythm and blues. Certain
individuals, such as Billy Jeffers and "Chicken" Hicks are credited with
developing the early aspects of the dance.
Shag emphasizes grace and smoothness over turns and athleticism. Unlike
free style and hip hop dancing, shag is “danced from the waist down.” You
need to achieve smooth, tight footwork with the look of having rubber knees,
illustrated by our good friends Joey and Jennifer Sogluizzo seen at
left.
Go to the
Competitive Shaggers Association 2006 Results page to view some video
clips of dancers. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see Joey and
Jennifer.
The shag may be danced to classic “beach music” tunes such as “Carolina
Girls,” “Under the Boardwalk,” and “I Love Beach Music,” or the shag may be
danced to Motown and blues. Most shag music is interchangeable with west
coast swing music. The standard tempo range is 110-135 beats per minute. The
music is normally blues style, written in 4/4 time.
Below are a number of links that provide a more comprehensive discussion
of "Shaggin" and the associated music.
