Dancing is an art that you are never too young to enjoy! There is something deeply connecting about moving to the beat and grooving with the music. Although music changes EVERY year and the music of the past is worlds different from what we listen to today, we can still connect with it, often through dance.
Shag Dancing is a piece of history and a fun dance!
While there is nothing wrong with modern forms of dance, when we intentionally look to our past and connect with it through dance, it creates a window into an era that we didn’t live in ourselves. The Junior Shag Dance Team did just that!
The dance team is based out of Burlington, North Carolina, and performed a dance that originated in the Carolina’s.
Shag Dancing actually originated in North and South Carolina! It was a dance developed in the ’40s and is the root of many future dances that often came from the original “Carolina Shag.”
“The Carolina shag is a partner dance done primarily to beach music (100-130+ beats per minute in 4/4 time signature). Today, the shag is a recognized dance in national and international dance competitions held across the United States.” – Wikipedia
This dance team did an incredible performance while also celebrating their state’s history!
The fact that all of the partners are teenagers only adds to the amazement since the routine is so well executed! Coming out on the floor in black and red, the team looks like they have been preparing for this moment for a long time.
Holding hands, they walk out to the middle of the floor and wait for the music to start.
A few snaps in, and the dance starts! Gently crouching and moving forward, the entire thing has a calm and suave feel to it. Expertly building tension through their deliberately slow movements, the dancers seem to be waiting for a release.
Suddenly, the music stops – then starts with a new upbeat song!
Now, with a swinging beat, the team spreads across the floor and speeds up all their movements to match the music! They spin around and look all kinds of graceful as they hit moves that most people can only dream of! It’s not how fast they are moving; it’s the deliberation and careful precision that makes the dance so unique!
The unison in which they perform is well-practiced and quite the sight.
It’s often to be “couch-critics” when it comes to watching people do tough things. Ever seen a football player drop a pass and think, “I would have caught that!”? That’s a couch critic. Watching these teens dance may want to make you say that; at the core of it, however, these guys have been practicing for weeks to make this happen!
It looks like they won!
With their combination of history and skill, the dancers pulled it off! Across the entire US, these swing and shag dancers were the best! After watching the video, it’s not hard to see why. They deserve it!
Check out their awesome win in the video below!
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