Shag

What is Shag?

Shag is actually the name of several different swing dance styles that originated in the United States during the swing era. Most commonly we use it to refer to Collegiate Shag, a fast dance focusing on footwork that was extremely popular among young people in the 1930's before the Lindy Hop overtook it as the next dance craze. Other Shag styles include St. Louis Shag and Carolina Shag.

Collegiate Shag

Collegiate Shag is truly a youthful dance, requiring more stamina and energy than most other swing dances. It's a dance that involves a lot of hops and kicks and very dynamic, challenging footwork. While easy to learn the basics, dancing Shag well takes a lot of practice!

During the Swing era, there was a trend of "Collegiate" dances becoming popular with young people. Typically these dances were inspired in part by existing ballroom dances, with young people taking the dances their parents had done and adding a bouncier rhythm and more relaxed posture to enjoy dancing to jazz music. At the same time, dance studios were eager to capture the youth market and started teaching "Collegiate" versions of their ballroom dances. There were a number of "Collegiate Shag" dances, and the most popular style was popularized by the famous ballroom dance teacher, Arthur Murray.

Most dancers today tend to do a six-count Shag basic known as "double-time shag." This means that there are two "slow" counts in the basic before each quick-quick: "slow, slow, quick-quick" or "hop, hop, run-run." However an eight-count single Shag (hop, run-run, hop, run-run) and a sixteen-count triple shag exist (hop, hop, hop, run-run, then repeat on the other leg)! The triple Shag is considered extremely difficult, and often it's counted as though there were two separate 8-count basics: one for each leg!

St. Louis Shag

A form of Shag done in St. Louis, the St. Louis Shag, is known for being danced to extremely fast music. St. Louis Shag incorporates very fast footwork, and was inspired in part by the Charleston.

History of the term Shag

In the 20's, 30's and 40's, "Shag" was a somewhat generic term used for many local partner dances. The British connotation of the word hadn't hit the US, and in fact "shagging" was a very socially acceptable term. Many young white people found that while their parents wouldn't let them enjoy explicitly African-American dance styles like the Charleston, Black Bottom or Lindy Hop, if they call the same dances "Shag" then the parents approved!

Balboa?

Some swing historians suggest that Balboa originated as a form of Collegiate Shag, and dancers who aren't familiar with either one may have trouble telling them apart. Balboa can even be categorized as a Shag dance due to its dance position and emphasis on footwork. However Collegiate Shag is a much more dynamic dance, whereas Balboa tends to be very low-key and requires much less energy.

Carolina Shag

The official state dance of both North and South Carolina, Carolina Shag is yet another style of swing dancing that focuses on footwork, but to much slower music than Collegiate or St. Louis Shag. Usually danced to moderate tempos of "beach music," a relaxed style of R'nB music, Carolina Shag is a very smooth style of swing dance.

Since Carolina Shag is clearly related to Lindy Hop, some believe that the dance started with white kids in the Carolinas sneaking off without their parents' permission to watch or join black dancers doing Jitterbug (or Lindy Hop). They copied the movements as well as they could, and over time it evolved into its own dance.

Carolina Shag is very much associated with a beach culture. The dance style literally evolved to accomodate dancing barefoot in the sand, with a drink in one hand and a dance partner in the other! Smooth and intricate footwork is a distinctive part of this dance. Carolina Shag is also called a "Peacock" dance for the way it traditionally involved the man showing off for his partner. Yet another unique feature of Carolina Shag is that the dance has numerous pre-choreographed sequences that are traditionally called by the lady and then led by the man.

Shag Explosion

If you're interested in Collegiate Shag, check out our Ottawa Shag event, the Shag Explosion! It's a whole weekend devoted to the amazing dance of Shag!