Get Your Dance on in Myrtle Beach

When the name Myrtle Beach comes up, most people immediately think of golf; however, Myrtle Beach has quite a following from dancers. South Carolina’s state dance, the Shag, was invented in Myrtle Beach, and every year thousands of people visit Myrtle Beach just to dance!

The Shag first made an appearance in Myrtle Beach in 1945 when beach music started making the rounds on all of the local juke boxes. As the beach music traveled down the boardwalk and then down the East Coast the Shag traveled as well. The Shag was THE dance to do in the 1940’s and 1950’s. For a while it was wildly popular, but like many fads, it became a thing of the past.

The Shag still has a cult following, however. In 1980 the Society of Stranders (SOS) was founded to celebrate shag dancing and shag music. Twice a year SOS holds festivals to celebrate the Shag. Thousands of shag dancing lovers flock to Myrtle Beach for the Spring Safari and the Fall Migration every year.

People go to these Shag festivals to have fun, see old friends, meet new people and enjoy the beach. The festivals are attended by over 12,000 people every year, and more people are joining SOS all the time. Both SOS festivals are ten days long, and cover most of the local Myrtle Beach lounges within walking distance.

If the Shag isn’t your thing, there are many nightclubs in Myrtle Beach where you can dance and listen to live and recorded music. If visiting Myrtle Beach be sure to at least watch some shag dancing. It’s very entertaining, and you may find yourself wanting to dance as well.

Shagging is far more than just a dance for most Myrtle Beach residents; it’s a lifestyle that sums up everything that’s good about Myrtle Beach. Young people and old alike can be found doing the Shag in Myrtle Beach it’s a comfortable groove you’ll find only at the beach!

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