St. Louis shag: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Latest revision as of 12:23, 19 February 2023

St. Louis shag is a swing dance that evolved from the Lindy Hop, Collegiate Shag and Charleston.^[1]^[2] It is a fast, closed position dance that is usually done to stomp, jump, and boogie-woogie music.

St. Louis Shag is a territory swing dance which originated in St. Louis, Missouri in the 1930s.^[3] The dance has a stationary 8-count basic that is commonly composed of triple-step, kick, triple-step, kick. Another basic version, popularized by Kenny Wetzel, an East St. Louis native who moved to Southern California in the 1950s, is composed of triple-step, kick, step-stomp, run-run. Eddie Plunkett and Dottie Spokesfield of St. Louis had another version of the basic composed of triple-step, kick, double kick.

The dance's rhythmic variations include inside crosses (also known as over the tops), fall off the logs, and customizable stomps, kicks, taps, and holds. St. Louis Shag is often done to up-tempo swing, rock and roll, and blues music. Dancers usually transition freely between shag and jitterbug steps.

The Shag has a long history in St. Louis, first in swing, then rock and roll, jazz, jump blues, and R&B, which probably changed the dance's look and feel while preserving its characteristics. Pioneers of St. Louis Shag include 1930s and 40s-era dancers Tommy Russo, Dolores Shy, Virginia Shy, Mike Renda, Joe Renda, Eva Renda, Eddie Plunkett, Dottie Spokesfield, Jim Byrnes, and Lorraine Byrnes. Dancers from the 1950s, '60s, and beyond include Kenny Wetzel, John Bedrosian, Valerie LaFemina, Bob Brooks, and Sylvia Sykes.

References

^ Stevens, Tamara; Stevens, Erin (2011). Swing Dancing. ABC-CLIO. p. 120. ISBN 9780313375170.
^ "St. Louis Shag". StreetSwing.com. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
^ Tommy Russo said he learned the dance from the "colored kids on the playground" and that they did it best. He also implied it had been around for a while "they (blacks) were doing it way before us." It may have been danced in the black community in the mid-late 20s. All the other original Swing Dancers interviewed said it originated in the black community

External links

[1] Stevens, Tamara; Stevens, Erin (2011). Swing Dancing. ABC-CLIO. p. 120. ISBN 9780313375170.

[2] "St. Louis Shag". StreetSwing.com. Retrieved 2008-09-28.

[3] Tommy Russo said he learned the dance from the "colored kids on the playground" and that they did it best. He also implied it had been around for a while "they (blacks) were doing it way before us." It may have been danced in the black community in the mid-late 20s. All the other original Swing Dancers interviewed said it originated in the black community

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|Swing dance}}
-{{Refimprove|date=March 2008}}
+{{More citations needed|date=March 2008}}
-'''St. Louis shag''' is a [[Swing (dance)|swing dance]] that evolved from [[Charleston (dance)|Charleston]].<ref>{{cite web
+'''St. Louis shag''' is a [[Swing (dance)|swing dance]] that evolved from the [[Lindy Hop]], [[Collegiate Shag]] and [[Charleston (dance)|Charleston]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Stevens |first1=Tamara |last2=Stevens |first2=Erin |year=2011 |title=Swing Dancing |publisher=ABC-CLIO |page=120 |isbn=9780313375170}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=St. Louis Shag |publisher=StreetSwing.com |url=http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3shagst.htm |accessdate=2008-09-28 }}</ref> It is a fast, closed position dance that is usually done to [[Stomp (music)|stomp]], [[Jump (music)|jump]], and [[Boogie-woogie (music)|boogie-woogie]] music.
- | title = St. Louis Shag
- | publisher = StreetSwing.com
- | url = http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3shagst.htm
- | accessdate = 2008-09-28}}</ref> As its name suggests, it is recognized as being started in [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]], [[Missouri]]. It is a very fast closed position dance that is usually done to [[Stomp (music)|stomp]], [[Jump (music)|jump]], and [[Boogie-woogie (music)|boogie-woogie]] music.
-St. Louis Shag is a territory swing dance which originated in St. Louis, Missouri in the 1930s. <ref>Most likely originating in the Black community - Tommy Russo said he learned the dance from the "colored kids on the play ground." and that they did it best. He also implied it had been around for a while "they (Blacks) were doing it way before us." so it's quite possible it was even being done in the black community in the mid-late 20's. All the other original Swing Dancers interviewed also said it originated in the Black community and had been being done for a while.</ref> in St. Louis this form of shag is distinct from Collegiate Shag and Carolina Shag in that it is not a dance unto itself, and like Lindy Charleston steps of the 1930's & 40's done as a <ref>"Break Step" - from interviews with Eddie Plunkett, Tommy Russo, Jim & Lorraine Byrnes conducted by Dan Conner</ref> within the Swing / Lindy Hop Dance. Most likely descending from the Charleston, St. Louis Shag features a stationary 8-count basic that is most commonly composed of triple-step, kick, triple-step, kick. Another basic, popularized by [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbb_Mc2eTMk&feature=youtu.be Kenny Wetzel], an East St. Louis native who relocated to Southern California in the 1950s, is composed of triple-step, kick, step-stomp, run-run. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9SphIfkXEQ&feature=youtu.be Eddie Plunkett & Dottie Spokesfield], life-time St. Louis dancers, had yet another version of the basic composed of triple-step, kick, double kick. St. Louis Shag also features many rhythmic variations that include inside crosses (also known as over the tops), fall off the logs, and customizable stomps, kicks, taps, and holds.  St. Louis Shag is often done to up-tempo swing, rock’n’roll, and blues music. Typically, dancers transition freely between shag and jitterbug steps.
+St. Louis Shag is a territory swing dance which originated in [[St. Louis, Missouri]] in the 1930s.<ref>Tommy Russo said he learned the dance from the "colored kids on the playground" and that they did it best. He also implied it had been around for a while "they (blacks) were doing it way before us." It may have been danced in the black community in the mid-late 20s. All the other original Swing Dancers interviewed said it originated in the black community</ref> The dance has a stationary 8-count basic that is commonly composed of triple-step, kick, triple-step, kick. Another basic version, popularized by [[Kenny Wetzel]], an [[East St. Louis]] native who moved to Southern [[California]] in the 1950s, is composed of triple-step, kick, step-stomp, run-run. [[Eddie Plunkett]] and [[Dottie Spokesfield]] of St. Louis had another version of the basic composed of triple-step, kick, double kick.
+The dance's rhythmic variations include inside crosses (also known as over the tops), fall off the logs, and customizable stomps, kicks, taps, and holds. St. Louis Shag is often done to up-tempo swing, [[rock and roll]], and [[blues music]]. Dancers usually transition freely between shag and [[jitterbug]] steps.
-The Shag has a long-standing history in St. Louis, where it has remained throughout many generations: originally to swing music, then to rock'n'roll, jazz, jump blues, and even to R&B, which probably changed the feel and look of Shag over time, yet preserved many of the dance's trademarks. Due to [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbb_Mc2eTMk&feature=youtu.be Kenny Wetzel]’s impact, St. Louis Shag was also popular in Southern California between the 1950s and 1990s. The earliest pioneers of St. Louis Shag include 1930s and 40s-era dancers Tommy Russo, Dolores Shy, Virginia Shy, Mike Renda, Joe and Eva Renda, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9SphIfkXEQ&feature=youtu.be Eddie Plunkett, Dottie Spokesfield], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI3TORqRFJY&feature=youtu.be Jim & Lorraine Byrnes]. Innovative dancers continued to come up in the 1950s, 60s and beyond amongst the likes of Kenny Wetzel, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF-AUeq2E1E&feature=youtu.be John Bedrosian], Valerie LaFemina, Bob Brooks, and Sylvia Sykes to name a few. Thanks to these dancers the St. Louis Shag has been passed down and continues to be practiced around the world today.
+The Shag has a long history in St. Louis, first in swing, then rock and roll, jazz, [[jump blues]], and R&B, which probably changed the dance's look and feel while preserving its characteristics. Pioneers of St. Louis Shag include 1930s and 40s-era dancers [[Tommy Russo]], Dolores Shy, Virginia Shy, Mike Renda, Joe Renda, Eva Renda, Eddie Plunkett, Dottie Spokesfield, Jim Byrnes, and Lorraine Byrnes. Dancers from the 1950s, '60s, and beyond include Kenny Wetzel, John Bedrosian, Valerie LaFemina, Bob Brooks, and [[Sylvia Sykes]].
 ==See also==
-*[[Swing (dance)]]
-*[[Charleston (dance)]]
-*[[Collegiate shag]]
 *[[Carolina shag]]
+*[[Collegiate shag]]
-==Notes==
+==References==
+{{reflist}}
-<references />
 ==External links==
 *[http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3shagst.htm StreetSwing article on St. Louis shag]
 *[http://www.jitterbuzz.com/less6.html St. Louis Shag lesson on Jitterbuzz.com]
-[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBAp-5Xem69uxK1fn33foVoTOscjg8BJ Video's of St. Louis Shag on Youtube]
 [[Category:Swing dances]]
 [[Category:Dances of the United States]]
+[[Category:Culture of St. Louis]]
-{{dance-stub}}