Benjamin Spider
This fun shag routine performed to popular songs ‘Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone’ and ‘Think’ earns these Carolinian dancers the championship in the GDNC competition.
In the performance video, we see the young ladies dressed in flowy turquoise shirts and black pants, and the boys match, cuffed and collared in turquoise and black suits.
If you’re not familiar with Shag dancing, the dance can look a little funny at first. But watch for a minute, and you’ll see how poised and skilled these dancers really are. Dancers keep their upper body relatively still and stiff as they move and twist their legs, feet, and hips.
Shag dancing hails from the beaches of South Carolina in the 1940s. Partners shuffle their feet as they mirror each other’s moves. Shag is often likened to swing dancing, and though the two have some similarities, they are still pretty different.
On their social media page, the Junior Shag Dance Team describes itself as a group of young Carolina Shag dancers ages 14-20 from all over the south. They aim to “spread the dance they love to the world in hopes of keeping Carolina Shag and its deep-routed traditions alive.”
The team competes in many competitions and has videos of their performances uploaded for viewers to enjoy as well.
There are many Youtube tutorials for those who want to learn how to shag dance. All you need is a partner, some upbeat music, and a little swing.
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