What is carolina shag?
Carolina Shag is a smooth, laid-back swing dance with a six-count or eight-count basic and fancy footwork by the leader. It is danced to "beach music" — R&B, soul and Motown — and is the official state dance of South Carolina.
History
Shag grew in the beach pavilions of the Carolinas in the 1940s, where white teenagers danced to Black rhythm-and-blues records on jukeboxes. South Carolina adopted it as its state dance in 1984.
Basic technique
- Basic shag step (1-and-2, 3-and-4, 5-6)
- Belly roll, sugar foot and boogie walk
- Smooth, gliding footwork with minimal upper-body motion
Music & tempo
Beach music and classic R&B around 110–130 BPM.
Songs for carolina shag
| Song | Artist | BPM | Key | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvin Gaye (remix) | Charlie Puth feat. Wale | 110 | E major | 2015 |
| Radio | Lyfe Jennings | 110 | A# minor | 2006 |
| I Can’t Quit Your Love | Four Tops | 110 | F minor | 1986 |
| Woman Likes to Hear That | Wilson Pickett | 110 | C major | 1970 |
| Eleanor Rigby | Four Tops | 110 | E minor | 1969 |
| Letter Full of Tears | Gladys Knight & the Pips | 110 | E major | 1995 |
| I Wish You Were Here | Billy Eckstine | 110 | D# minor | 1966 |
| Starving for Your Love | Four Tops | 110 | E minor | 2005 |
| Come See About Me | Gladys Knight & the Pips | 111 | G minor | 1973 |
| Do You See My Love (For You Growing) | Jr. Walker & the All Stars | 111 | G# major | 1973 |
BPM as measured by audio analysis; some tracks read at half or double the danced tempo.
All 383 carolina shag songs by BPM →
What to wear
Smooth-soled shoes.
How to get started
Shag clubs across the Carolinas and Southeast host lessons and socials.
Key partner-dance terms
Recent research
- Joint action aesthetics. — PloS one, 2017
- Special Issue: Autoimmune Diseases: A Swing Dance of Immune Cells. — International journal of molecular sciences, 2025
- Can Samba and Forró Brazilian rhythmic dance be more effective than walking in improving functional mobility and spatiotemporal gait parameters in patients with Parkinson's disease? — BMC neurology, 2020
- The Energy Expenditure of Recreational Ballroom Dance. — International journal of exercise science, 2014
- A kinetic analysis of the triple step in recreational swing dancers. — Sports biomechanics, 2024
Books about carolina shag
- SHAG by Bo Bryan, Will Maddox (1995)
- Carolina Beach Music by Rick Simmons (2011)
- Sos by Barbara Arntsen (2009)
- Shagging in the Carolinas by John Hook (2005)
- Save the last dance for me by Phil Sawyer (2012)
- Carolina beach music by Rick Simmons (2011)
Encyclopedia summary
The Carolina shag is a partner dance done primarily to beach music (100–130+ beats per minute in 44 time signature). The shag is a recognized dance in modern national and international dance competitions. It became the official state dance of South Carolina in 1984 and the official popular dance of North Carolina in 2005.
Frequently asked questions
What is the state dance of South Carolina?
The Carolina Shag, adopted in 1984.
What BPM is Carolina Shag?
Carolina Shag is usually danced to music between 110 and 130 beats per minute. Browse 383 songs that fit on our Carolina Shag music page.
How many calories does carolina shag burn?
About 441 calories per hour for a 155-lb (70 kg) person, based on a MET value of 6 from the Compendium of Physical Activities. See calories burned carolina shag for every body weight.
Related styles
East Coast Swing
United States (simplified from Lindy Hop by dance studios)
Swing & Vintage Jazz DanceWest Coast Swing
California
Swing & Vintage Jazz DanceHustle
New York City discos
Swing & Vintage Jazz DanceLindy Hop
Harlem, New York — the Savoy Ballroom
Swing & Vintage Jazz DanceCharleston
African American communities of the South; named after Charleston, South Carolina
Swing & Vintage Jazz DanceBalboa
Southern California (Balboa Peninsula, Newport Beach)
Last reviewed October 2026 · Editorial policy