As time passes new dance styles continuously emerge. The 1920s introduced the world to swing dancing and the Charleston, the 1930s brought the jitterbug to the dance floors, and the 1970s brought disco. Almost every new decade brings a new and unique style of dance to the dance floor.
While new dances might be all the rage at the time, it is still always enjoyable to go back to the classics.
Jay Rollins and Tobitha Stewart are two dancers that are highly-skilled in the Carolina Shag and they set the floor on fire with their classic moves at the USA Grand National Dance Championship.
Get ready to feel like you’ve traveled back in time. Jay and Tobitha are talented Shag dancers who are hypnotizing to watch!
Once the music starts, the partners quickly jump into their fancy footwork in front of the judges and crowd. Together they move as smooth as satin, and at times even seem lighter than air.
A viewer named Kenneth commented:
“Wow ! Slick and very very smooth ! Never heard or seen before,aren’t they just great !Yeah Yeah Yeah !”
The Shag’s known for originating decades ago on South Carolina’s beaches – gaining popularity in the 1940s among the younger crowd.
According to Southern Living, the Carolina Shag has been given the description of being a “cold beer on a warm night with a hot date and no plans for tomorrow.”
It’s an upbeat dance that’s still a tradition in the South and can be seen in dance competitions across the nation. The Discover South Carolina website explains:
“One thing that makes the Shag such a popular dance is that anyone can do it – whether you’re six years old or 96 years old. It breaks barriers and brings everyone together with one common purpose: to have fun and enjoy the music.”
Jay Rollins and Tobitha Stewart are seasoned dancers and their fancy footwork is proof. They are a winning duo but they also have made great achievements individually too.
One impressive accomplishment is that Tobitha was inducted into the National Living Legends of Dance (along with her husband Ashley) in 2015, and Jay received the same honor in 2018. They are not just amazing Shag dancers but they are also Shag dance instructors in North Carolina.
They are making sure the Shag continues to be danced with the newer generations.
It’s easy to tell how passionate the duo is about the Carolina Shag by watching their skills on the dance floor.
They move beautifully together, gliding and twirling with huge smiles spread across their faces. The song in the background is “Boogie The Joint” by Buddy Skipper And The Code Blues Band. Tobitha and Jay are definitely boogying down to the fun tune.
Not only did the partners become the Master Shag Champions that day at the competition – but their performance has also been viewed more than 1.4 million times on YouTube!
A fellow dancer named Ann shared:
“My husband and I used to Country Dance and the shag is similar to the East and West Coast Swing. We also attended the dance competitions. These dancers are really smooth. When you partner dance you have to be in sync. They were. I watched their feet and they are damn good.”
After watching the video, Lawana wrote:
“What an ADORABLE couple smoothly done and enjoyed watching them, thank you for sharing.”
It’s a dance routine that’s joyful, energetic, and might inspire you to want to learn how to do the Shag yourself!
Discover why Jay and Tobitha took home the first-place by pressing play below.
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