| Chatham Area Shag Association Member of the Association of Carolina Shag Clubs |
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Contact Us
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Shag Bands
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Shag Links
Shag Tag
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Below are a number of links that provide a more comprehensive discussion of "Shaggin" and the associated music. |
