What's This Shagging Thing, Anyway?

If you’re either not from the South or unfamiliar with entertainment culture south of the Mason-Dixon line, we’re not talking about “shagging” in the Austin Powers movie context.

We’re referring to the “Carolina shag,” and if you hang around these parts long enough you start to realize it’s got quite a loyal following.

So … what is shagging? First, here’s a look-see:

Here’s how our friends at Wikipedia define the Carolina shag:

The shag is a form of swing dancing that evolved from the jitterbug and jump blues of the big band jazz era and originated along the strands between Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, during the 1940s. It is most often associated with beach music, a genre of rhythm and blues-based songs that lend themselves to this dance form. According to Bo Bryan, a noted shag historian and resident of Beaufort County, the term was coined at Carolina Beach, North Carolina. Today, the shag is a recognized dance in national and international dance competitions held across the United States.

The National Shag Dance Championship Board held preliminary contests this past weekend in advance of the national competition scheduled for March 6-8 at Studebaker’s Restaurant. You can check them out in person by purchasing tickets here.

Want more on shagging? Go over to Amazon.com, and pick up a paperback copy of Shagging in the Carolinas by ‘Fessa John Hook. It’s an illustrated history that includes hundreds of vintage photographs and captions.

Just can’t get this shagging thing out of your head? Then head on over to Blockbuster and rent Shag, the 1988 movie filmed right here in Myrtle Beach and starring Bridget Fonda and Phoebe Cates. It wasn’t a big hit when it was originally released, but in the ensuing two decades has developed a sort of cult following among shaggers and beach music fans.