• The Roots of Shag
• Early Beach Years
• Shag Dancing Today
• GISC Club History
• Shag's Top 100 Songs
• "Fessa" Hook & His Data

Myrtle Beach, S.C.

The original Carolina Shag is said to have originated in the Atlantic Beach, SC area but most agree on the modern form of the dance evolving in the Myrtle Beach area in the 1940’s as R&B became the music of choice at the beaches and clubs. As the dance music at the beaches slowed down, the dance tempo did also smoothing out and incorporating sexier, looser movements.

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Juke Joints and Dancing on the Beach

Key venues in the transition from jitterbug/swing were the then segregated black night clubs and beach pavilions along the North Carolina and South Carolina coasts. Several early shag icons are credited with developing the early aspects of the dance. These teens attended local black night clubs and were allowed to watch from the balcony. They adapted what they saw and brought their steps to the white clubs and beach pavilions. They were also instrumental in initiating the “Beach Music” phenomenon by convincing jukebox owners to put R&B into their playlists.