If It's Not Country Rock Or Jazz ,
It Must Be Meant For Shagging
BY MARJORIE MEGIVERN
i interesting mix of people
lovered around the pool
lutside the Laketree Shores
clubhouse near Ocean Isle Beach
on a Saturday night in July.
There were young couples, oth
ers with silver hair and some of all
ages who were mingling solo
through the crowd, all dressed ca
sually. most in shorts.
Inside, a lavish spread of snacks
and a well-stocked bar kept every
one moving. They ate from paper
plates, engaged in lively chatter,
and laughed a lot.
Then the rhythmic sound of mu
sic bounced out into the early night
air. Joe Gupton had set up his com
plex sound system, along with hun
dreds of tapes. 45 rpm records and
compact discs. His voice boomed
into the microphone as he cajoled
the eaters to become dancers.
Gradually they did. returning to
their favorite hobby, the reason they
were here. Soon, dozens of couples
were swinging partners out to the
side, twirling them. stepping
sharply to the beat, dipping and
gliding, having fun.
It was the Society of Brunswick
Shaggers enjoying their monthly
meeting, with about 40 members
and guests prepared to dance the
night away.
"We started this group about a
year ago," explained Rosie Scar
borough, whose husband Jack is
treasurer. "There were about 25 of
us who used to dance at Meeting
Street in Resort Plaza in Shallotte.
They had a juke box with good
beach music On it auu encouraged
dancing. Joe Gupton would come
and play music for us, too, and the
owners of the place offered sh'ig
lessons. When the place closed, we
didn't want to have to go to Myrtle
Beach to shag, so we decided to
have a shag club. "
Scarborough, who said she's
i j f i.ll i _ i.
STAFF PHOTO BY MAJUOKIC AAfCIVFfth
SOCIETY OF BRUNSWICK SHAGGERS members demonstrate their prowess on the makeshift
dance floor surrounding the Laketree Shores clubhouse pool.
shagged all her life, found it hard to
describe the dance. "It came out of
the old-style jitterbugging." she
said, "but it's smooth and has an up
tempo biues beat, not too fast, it ap
peals to those who grew up in the
50s and it's good exercise. 1 enjoy
it." She acknowledged, however,
that "it's hard for some people to
learn if they don't have rhythm and
can't count or remember steps."
The proper music for shagging is
rhythm and blues, according to
these experts, not country, rock or
jazz. The dancers at Laketree
Shores had favorites like "Lady
Soul", "Alligator Walk," "Your
Piace Or Mine?" and "Soothe Me,
Baby." For variation, Gupton occa
sionally called for a "line dance,"
one executed in straight lines with
no partners. Specific steps must be
learned for this, but they are simple
and repetitive.
As the dance portion of the
club's July meeting got underway,
Gupton made a special announce
ment. Calling Charles Smith, the
club's first president, and Debbie
Fox, to the dance area, he informed
onlookers that the two had become
engaged and would soon be mar
ried. There was enthusiastic ap
plause and cheers. This group, like
many organizations, takes as much
pleasure in the social interaction as
in the dancing.
"We make everyone feel wel
come," Scarborough said. "Singles
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are encouraged to join and nobody
is pressured to dance, either. Some j
just like to come and be with the
others and that's fine." Meetings
are held monthly in various club
houses and restaurants around the
county.
The object of the Society of
Brunswick Shaggers, however, is to
preserve shagging. "It's not a fad."!
Scarborough insisted. "More and
more young people are doing it and
when they do, they're phenomenal.
They do things we can't because
they're so limber."
While the s*>ciety is part of a
state ;issiK'i.ition .ind encouraged to
enter state competitions. the
Brunswick group has not yet done
so. "Our club wants to be sure
everyone has a chance to learn the
steps first," Scarborough said,
adding that weekly lessons have
been provided by Mike l-'ormy
duval and Maxine and Ix-o Presley.
Gupton seemed to enjoy his disk
jockey role, filling occasional re
quests. keeping a steady stream of
varied tunes pijx:d out to dance is
and inters; ersing them with an
nouncements and chatter
"1 don't get to dance much, my
self," he said, "unless I put a really
long tune on. But 1 like it About
four years ago, 1 asked my wife for
shag lessons as a birthday gift and
now 1 dance every chance I get."
Gupton said the shag began with
dancers on the beach, swinging
their partners across the sandy
strand of North Myrtle Beach.
It has certainly infiltrated its
northern neighbor. Ocean Islo
Beach and perhaps all Brunswick
County will soon step to the
rhythms of "Alligator Walk" or line
up for the "Electric Slide." If this
year-old society continues to grow
in numbers and enthusiasm, the
shag will dominate the recreational
scene.
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