Carolina Shag

Carolina Shag is one of the “swing dances” which originated in the Carolinas in the 1940’s. It is a partner dance done primarily to beach music.  Junior shaggers are shag dancers under the age of 21.  Shag is a wholesome activity the entire family can enjoy, providing exercise and healthy social interaction for a lifetime.  Although concentrated in the South, shag clubs can be found throughout the United States. Juniors enjoy dancing with their parents, grandparents, and other family members, strengthening family ties.  We strongly encourage adults to take the free lessons with their juniors.

Jennifer Batten wrote a great article titled 6 Life Skills Learned from the Shag Community. She identified the following ways in which shag dancing can benefit children and young adults:

• Personal respect

• Respect for others by exhibiting manners and social graces

• Sportsmanship and work ethics

• Communication skills

• Time management, organization and flexibility

• How to make and keep friends

Jacksonville Junior Shaggers, Inc.

The Jacksonville Junior Shaggers, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation committed to teaching students under the age of 21 and their families to dance the Carolina Shag.  We host free dance lessons for juniors and their families. Combination dance/pizza party/lessons and pool party/lessons are also hosted several times a year. Each year we accompany the juniors to Junior SOS, a national junior shag event in North Myrtle Beach, NC, where students spend the week learning from nationally-recognized shag instructors. We raise funds for those students and their families who otherwise couldn't afford the trip.

Although most of our juniors are from the First Coast area of Florida, we also have participants from the Hilton Head, SC area, and Kingsland, Thomasville, and the Golden Isles area of Georgia.