When it comes to thrown-together beach parties and southern soirees, the Carolina Shag is the dance to know these days. This amazingly fun dance is a quick, simple, social dance that makes sure everyone is having a good time and no one is a stranger. There are endless varieties when it comes to skill levels, learning styles, and natural proclivity, but the basics are pretty simple as far as dances go. The basic Carlina Shag is done traditionally to beach music. It consists of a six-count, eight-step dance pattern in a slot. When it comes to rhythm, it’s a six-count Swing because it’s a triple step, triple step, rock step, or otherwise, it’s counted as “one and two, three and four, five, six.”
Some people compare the Carolina Shag to other dances that share the designation of “shag.” Dance experts believe that the Carolina Shag originated along the Atlantic Ocean, specifically in Cherry Grove Beach, South Carolina during the 1940s. Carolina Shag historian Bo Bryan is from Beaufort County and he says the name was coined at Carolina Beach, North Carolina. He says that the dance is descended from the Carolina Jitterbug and that dance’s predecessor, Little Apple. The Little Apple is the white version of a dance called the Big Apple, whose origins trace to Columbia, South Carolina in 1937.
The Big Apple was a popular dance in clubs that was done by primarily African American people. White people would “jump the Jim Crow rope” in the balconies of black clubs so that they could watch the excellent dancing. This isn’t to be confused with other shags. For example, the Collegiate Shag originated in the 1920s and became popular int he 1930s and 1940s. The St. Louis Shag is a swing dance that originated from its predecessor, The Charleston.
YouTube
In the video below, you can watch Autumn Jones and Brennar Goree dance the Carolina Shag. Autumn is a cosmetologist and bartender, and Brennar is a Department of Defense contractor with the National Guard. Enjoy this video.
