The Collegiate Shag ... originated in the South (possibly New Orleans) and has been known at times as the "Flea Hop" (not just the variation.) The Shag was popular in the late 1920's and supposedly predates the Lindy Hop with the collage students. It was primarily danced to fast Ragtime - Jazz type music. There were many Intercollegiate Dance Contests held in NYC in the 1920s-1930's which held a "Shag Division, Conklin and Coleman won this type of division. Virginia Beach was a hot spot for the shag as some eastern cities banned the dance.

   It was somewhat popular today with some Retro-Swing dancers in Southern California and is very cool looking with its

Slow-Slow-Quick-Quick rhythm with fast hops and kicks and close contact to your partner is a blast to do.

   Over the years this Shag has split a few times into the various forms. The Collegiate and Murray Shag can be mixed with basic swing patterns and the Jig Trot and thus becomes a type of "Swing Bal." (See Balboa.) The Carolina Shag was an offshoot of the Collegiate Shag and Charleston in the 1930s and is more of a Swing dance form than a Shag dance form today. The Saint Louis Shag is more of a speed dominated/ competition shag, which is different than the Collegiate, Carolina and Murray Shags. The Balboa (8 count) was a more subdued smoother variation of the Collegiate shag (6 count), which still shares some similarities today.

Note: A interesting thing in Arthur Murray's 1937 Let's Dance book breaks it down as a Hop-Hop-123 (kicking on 3) but breaks it down differently in his video. The Movie Swing, Swing, Swing has a good musical short of this dance.

Films / Movies

Television

Ballets / Stage

1930 - Good News (1930)

1927 - Good News

1937 - Big Apple [Paramount]

1938 - Randalls Island Jazz Festival

1937 - Dates and Nuts (Arthur Murray)

1937 - How To Dance The Shag (A. Murray)

1937 - Phony Boy [Harvest Moon Ball Winners]

1937 - Woody Herman and Orchestra [Vitaphone]

1938 - 'Alligators' plus 'Cats' plus 'Jive' [Paramount]

Instructional Videos / DVD's

Publications

1938 - I Am The Law

$ W.O.S. Collegiate Shag VHS #1

1938 - Jitterbug Jamboree [Vitaphone]

$ W.O.S. Collegiate Shag VHS #2

9-2-1927 - Charleston Daily Maid (Bye Bye Shag Routine)

1938 - Jitterbugs Jive at Swingeroo [Paramount]

$ W.O.S. Collegiate Shag VHS #3

7/26/1929 - The Bee, Danville, VA (New Dance- Shag)

1938 - World Series Dance has NY Swinging [Paramount]

$ W.O.S. Collegiate Shag VHS #4

7/27/1929 - Evening Tribune (New Fast Dance on the Sand)

1939 - I'm Just a Jitterbug [Animated Mother Goose]

W.O.S. Collegiate Shag DVD 1&2, 3&4

1941 - Belles on Their Toes

8/5/1932 - Charleston Gazette (The Earhart Hop and Shag)

Having A Wonderful Life

6/15/1935 - Dunkirk Evening Observer (Shag Barbaric Speed)

Collegiate, the 

$ Swing, Swing, Swing

~ For a more upto date list of swing films click here

Other Related Dances of the time...

Dancers, Choreographers etc.

Political

Books, Magazine Articles on the dance...

Title

Author

Date Published

Publisher

Let's Dance

Murray,Arthur

1937

Standard Brands Co.

"How To Dance The Shag"

Murray, Arthur

1/4/1938

Look Magazine

How To Become A good Dancer

Murray, Arthur

1938

Simon & Schuster

Ballroom Dance Course - Home Study

Grant, Lawrence

1938

n/a

Teach Yourself the Latest Dance Steps

Hostetler, Lawrence

1938

Home Institute

How to do the Newest Dance Steps...

Grant, Lawrence

1940

Home Service

'Arthur Murray Dance Book'

Murray, Arthur

1941

n/a

Musicians

Singers

Poets / Writers

Sidney Betchet

Richard M. Jones (3 Jazz Wizards)

Milton Ager

Misc. Research Words that may be related ... to help your searches

Collegiate

Flea Hop

Ragtime

Flappers

Raccoon Coat

Straw Hat

Other...

[ Original Shag Cheat Sheet ]