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Local dancer earns spot on junior shag team

Sleeper on shag dancing: ‘It was the craziest thing ever’

By Don Coble Managing Editor
Posted 12/4/19

MIDDLEBURG – MacKenzie Sleeper knows some of her friends don’t understand her passion for shagging. And more to the point, she knows most of them don’t know what it means.

“I didn’t know …

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Local dancer earns spot on junior shag team

Sleeper on shag dancing: ‘It was the craziest thing ever’


Posted

MIDDLEBURG – MacKenzie Sleeper knows some of her friends don’t understand her passion for shagging. And more to the point, she knows most of them don’t know what it means.

“I didn’t know what to think about it at first,” the 15-year-old from Middleburg said. “It was the craziest thing ever. Now I love it.”

Shagging is type of line dance that started in the Carolinas and now features some of the intricacies of West Coast swing dance.

“It’s a lot more put-together than swing dancing, though,” MacKenzie said.

She should know. She was one of two girls selected from the Jacksonville Junior Shaggers who were selected to the junior shag dance team at last weekend’s U.S. Open Swing Dance Championship in Burbank, California.

Carolina Shag was created to be more than entertainment. It was a way for children to develop social, teamwork and communication skills since it requires a dance partner. All of it is done, face-to-face and without the help of a cellphone.

“Shagging is a way to let both dancers have fun,” MacKenzie said. “We don’t have a lot of people in Florida who are shaggers. My grandpa taught me what I know when I was 6. I saw so many other kids having fun with it, so I tried it.”

Dances are well-choreographed and demonstrate an elegance and grace – all while encompassing some of the boogie-routines once common at beach dances on the Carolina shores.

“Shag is a wholesome activity the entire family can enjoy, providing exercise and healthy social interaction for a lifetime. Although concentrated in the South, Shag Clubs can be found throughout the United States,” according to the local club’s website.

MacKenzie and Jacksonville Juniors teammate Emma Davis of Jacksonville now will work with the national team in Landis, N.C.

“I’ll be given so many opportunities with this,” MacKenzie said. “My friends think it’s a little weird because you have to dance with a male. They just don’t understand it. But that’s OK.”

Her next big competition is the Grand Nationals in Atlanta from May 21-25.

The Jacksonville Junior Shaggers offers free dance lessons to anyone 21 and younger. For more information, go to jaxjrshaggers.com.

To Learn more about junior shaggers in general Google “Junior Shaggers” or search “Junior Shaggers” on www.youtube.com, Junior Shag Association: www.juniorshaggers.com, Facebook/junior shag association Shag Association: www.shagdance.com, Shag Tour: http://shagtour.com, Competitive Shaggers Association: http://competitiveshaggers.org, Facebook/competitive shag dance.