It’s hard to say if there are more dances in the world than there are languages. However, few people would be surprised if there were. After all, dancing is a form of expression that predates speech. Our bodies began moving to rhythms before we could string together syllables to form words. And unlike language, dancing is more deeply tied to our personalities. The way we move says something about who we are, as no two people dance precisely the same. One form of dancing called Carolina Shag is best described as a "cold beer on a warm night with a hot date and no plans for tomorrow.”
This carefree and free moving style of dancing is loosely based on swing dancing but a unique personality all its own. While swing dancing is often fast-paced and a bit frantic, Carolina shag is almost the exact opposite — it’s slow and seems to flow like a lazy river. However, don’t let the more leisurely pace fool you because if you look down at their feet, you’ll see some pretty wild stuff happening under those slow-moving legs! Watching Shag dancing, you really gain an appreciation for their incredible ankle dexterity as their feet are switching in angle’s you didn’t know feet could turn. In this video, we see two shag dancers in their 6o’s showing the youngster how Carolina shag is done.
The graceful and easy-flowing movements, the spins, the insane footwork, and the overall spirit of this dancing makes Shag one of the most exciting dance styles to watch.
Experience the magic of shag for yourself in the video below.
