August 2023: Intro to Collegiate Shag

This is an introductory class on Collegiate Shag, an up-tempo partnered swing dance that developed in the United States during the 1920s. While it can be danced to swing jazz music it can also be danced to pre-swing jazz and a variety of other music. 

In this class we will be covering "double rhythm" shag that involves a six-count basic in a closed position dance hold. Some characteristics of the dance are footwork with kicks that reach full extension on the off-beat (even beats) rather than the on-beats (odd beats) as with most other dances that were popular at the time, an exaggerated hand-hold (i.e., the way the lead's left hand and arm are positioned as they hold the follow's right hand) where the arms are held high in the air, and intricate footwork.

Prerequisites: This class assumes you have taken Lindy 1: Movement, or Lindy 1: Partnership, or have equivalent Lindy Hop experience.