
WELCOME TO
The National Shag Dance Championships

The National Shag Dance Championships ("NSDC")
The NSDC started in Myrtle Beach in 1984 and is the longest continuously running shag dance contest in the United States.


The NSDC is the past winner of two “Feather Awards” for best swing dance event in the United States.
In addition to hosting the annual contest, the NSDC established the “Beth Mitchell Memorial Scholarship” in 1998 to annually assist in the education of a deserving college student who is a current or past contest in the NSDC, or whose family has competed in the NSDC. The scholarship foundation is classified as a 501c3 for tax deductions. Scholarship recipients are announced each year at the Finals of the NSDC.
The NSDC is held over two weekends each year with the Preliminaries (Qualifying Round) occurring near the end of January and the Finals in early March. If you enjoy watching dance shows on TV, then you should attend the NSDC and experience the excitement of a first class dance competition in person.
Click on the links above for more information on the contest (including dates, time, tickets, rules, etc.) as well as information on the Beth Mitchell Scholarship, past NSDC winners, and more. Or you can contact us at nationalshag@gmail.com or by calling Barry Thigpen at 843-222-6706

Advertise in 2024
NSDC Program
AUGUST 9 2023

Recent Blog
2023 NSDC Results
Congratulations to our 2023 Divisional Winners and THANK YOU to all of our contestants. The Saturday night dancing was so exciting it knocked out the