Some people don’t know that there are numerous styles of Swing dance. Although they share similarities, each also has distinct movements. Take Shag for example. This particular style originated in the 1930s. While it started in the African American community, it quickly spread across the globe.
The Shag
This style of dance is formally called the Carolina Shag. And in fact, it’s the official state dance of South Carolina. Not long after it was developed, people began doing Shag at gatherings by the ocean. For that reason, it became known as “beach music” during the 1950s and 1960s.
A viral video
If you search online for Shag dancers you won’t have any trouble finding them. This style of dance has again become so popular that it’s often incorporated in dance routines for younger kids. But there are plenty of adults who still do it for fun and in competitions. One video of a couple uploaded to social media has already been viewed more than 20,000 times.
Ivy Claire Huiet and Jonathan Kemp
That’s the name of a pair who entered the 2020 National Shag Dance Championships. Out of the six levels, they wee in the Junior II Division Championships. And what they achieved on the dance floor quickly got the audience going.
Brief introduction
The video begins with the host introducing Ivy and Jonathan. She explains that they’re both college students. While there’s no mention of how long they’ve danced together, after seeing them perform, you have to think they’ve been doing this for years.
Lazy River
That’s the Bobby Darin the couple chose to Shag to. It was an excellent choice that allowed them to showcase their unbelievable skills. As soon as the music starts, these two go into some smooth steps associated with Swing.
Cool spins
Keeping in perfect timing to the beat, the pair dances before Ivy spins Jonathan. He goes underneath her arm with complete fluidity. Then, he takes her hand and guides her a few steps before gently spinning her around.
Fancy footwork
With a few swishes of his body, Jonathan then gives the crowd a little taste of his fancy footwork. While watching him, you can’t help but notice that he’s extremely limber. As a matter of fact, he almost looks rubbery at some points, which for the Shag, is a good thing.
Ivy’s got the moves
But Ivy doesn’t let Jonathan show her up. After taking center stage, she too pulls off some pretty awesome moves. Together, they’re exceptional. They both have the routine down to fine art, which makes it all the more enjoyable to watch.
Shaking things up
As the music becomes livelier so do the couple’s moves. The thing is, they make it look so easy. But you can bet the average person couldn’t even come close to doing what this couple did. They represent the Shag style quite well.
Simple and classic
Sometimes, couples include lifts when Shag dancing. But Ivy and Jonathan didn’t need to do any fancy tricks. The way they danced so seamlessly together made this an incredible performance. And by the smiles on their faces, they were having just as much fun as the audience was.
If you want to see an amazing Shag, click on the video below. This couple shows how it’s done.
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