Myrtle Beach vacations and the shag!

Filed in archive Did you know , Rock’n’Roll & Swing on April 10, 2010

© Ken_Mayer

If you went on Myrtle Beach vacations in the mid 40s and 50s, no doubt you know all about 'Shag'. And if you don't, you were either not a teenager when you visited back then or, your parents kept you under close supervision.

Still don't know about 'Shag'? Let's take a trip back in time:

What is "Shag" you ask? It's a phenomenal dance craze that started in Myrtle Beach in the 40 and 50's. Local teens invented the dance step that is most suited to Rhythm & Blues music. But "Shag" is much more than a style of swing dancing; it is a way of life for people from Virginia Beach to Florida! Some may even refer to it as a "religion".
The Shag is a six-count dance with most of the action being in the feet, the balls of the feet to be exact. While there are some basic moves, each person makes the dance their own by individualizing it. And not only is the Shag not dead, it has been declared the official State dance of South Carolina.

Shaggers are alive and well and still improvising. The Carolina Shag Clubs is going strong and those teenagers are still dancing.