Dancer Info, Rules & Entry Forms
PDF Forms (Entry Form, Song List, & Advertising)
Click on the following links to view PDF files with contestant entry forms, NSDC music preservation list, and NSDC program advertising form.
online forms coming soon!
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Divisions:
PROFESSIONAL DIVISION:
Any person who has danced in a Professional Shag contest, specifically in the Competitive Shaggers Association. Masters and Seniors can enter this division. Must be 21!
NON-PROFESSIONAL DIVISION:
No professional competitors! Novice, amateur and beginners who are 21 years of age and older and have never danced in any professional Shag contest!
MASTERS DIVISION (Invitational):
The female must be at least 49 years of age and the male 50 years of age, but with a total of at least 100 years combined. These ages must be reached by the last night of the finals in March. No novices or amateurs in this category. One dancer must be a Hall of Fame member. They will be judged by Hall of Fame Dancers. Judged on smoothness, togetherness and showmanship.
SENIOR DIVISION
The female and male must be at least 40 years of age. Only pro dancers are eligible in this division.
JUNIOR DIVISION I:
14 years and under!
JUNIOR DIVISION II:
15-20 years of age!
*All age requirements by the last night of the finals in March.
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Judging:
Categories (except Masters):
Smoothness – Degree of Difficulty – Togetherness – Execution – Repertoire
Masters Categories:
Smoothness – Togetherness – Style – Showmanship
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Music Preservation List:
1. ANNIE HAD A BABY Hank Ballard & The Midnighters
2. AT LAST Tony Martin
3. BABY WORKOUT Jackie Wilson
4. BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND Googie Rene
5. BEG AND STEAL Strangers
6. BEGIN THE BEGUINE Johnny Mathis
7. BLUE MOON Nat King Cole
8. BOAT DOCK Ray Sharpe
9. BOOGIE WOOGIE KING Jimmy Liggins
10. BRING THE MONEY HOME The Orioles
11. BROKEN HEART The Fiestas
12. BUMP ON A LOG LuLa Reed
13. CAN YOU STAND IT Johnnie Johnson
14. CANADIAN SUNSET Mills Brothers
15. CHICKEN SHACK BOOGIE Amos Milburn
16. CHONNIE-ON CHON James Brown
17. CLUB SAVOY Rockin’ Louie and The Mamma Jammers
18. COME BACK MY LOVE The Wrenns
19. COME GET TO THIS Marvin Gaye
20. COME GO WITH ME The Federals
21. COULD IT BE YOU The Four Tops
22. CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY The 5 Royales
23. CRY TO ME Solomon Burke
24. CRUISIN’ FOR LOVE J. Geils Band
25. DONUT AND A DREAM Mills Brothers
26. DON’T CRY ON MY SHOULDER Sam Cooke
27. DON’T YOU LIE TO ME B. B. King
28. DREAM Five Keys
29. DRINKIN’ WINE (Spodee Odee) Larry Dale
30. DRIP DROP Drifters
31. DRIVE DADDY DRIVE Little Sylvia
32. DRIVE IT HOME Clovers
33. EXACTLY LIKE YOU Aretha Franklin
34. FANNIE MAE Junior Walker
35. FLAMINGO Earl Bostic
36. FEEL SO GOOD Shirley and Lee
37. FINE BROWN FRAME Lou Rawls and Diane Reeves
38. FOOLS RUSH IN Etta James
39. GOING BACK TO LOUISIANA Delbert McClinton
40. GREEN EYES The Ravens
41. GIVE ME YOU Billy Ward & The Dominoes
42. GOOD ROCKIN’ Jr. Walker
43. HARD HEARTED WOMAN Eddie Burns
44. HAVE MERCY BABY Dominoes
45. HEARTBREAK (I’TS HURTIN’ ME) Little Willie John
46. HEAVY LOVE David Ruffin
47. HEY BARTENDER Floyd Dixon
48. HEY GIRL Lucky Carmichael
49. HEY SENORITA The Penguins
50. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE Huey Piano Smith & The Clowns
51. HOLE IN THE WALL Floyd Dixon
52. HONKY TONK Bill Doggett
53. HONKY TONKY The Drifters
54. HOW DO YOU STOP James Brown
55. I BETCHA O.C. Smith
56. I BROUGHT IT ALL ON MYSELF Little Richard
57. I CRY The Cadets
58. I FEEL THAT OLD FEELING COMING ON James Brown
59. I GAVE MY LOVE A CHERRY Jimmy Williams
60. I HEAR A RHAPSODY Earl Bostic
61. I JUST WANT TO LOVE YOU Ivory Joe Hunter
62. I KNOW IT’S HARD BUT IT’S FAIR The 5 Royales
63. I USED TO CRY MERCY MERCY Lamplighters
64. I WANT A LOVE I CAN SEE Temptations
65. I WANNA KNOW Lloyd Sims
66. I’D BE SATISFIED Dominoes
67. IF I COULD HOLD YOU Melvin Moore
68. I’M GLAD I FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU O C Smith
69. I’M TORE UP Billy Gayles
70. IN THE MORNING TIME Clovers
71. IT WON’T BE THIS WAY (ALWAYS) The King Pins
72. IT’S A DOGGONE CRYING SHAME Ivory Joe Hunter
73. IT’S BETTER TO HAVE (AND DON’T NEED) Don Covay
74. JOHNNY B GOODE Elton John
75. JUST A GIGOLO Louis Prima and Keely Smith
76. JUST ONE LOOK Doris Troy
77. JUST TO SAY HELLO Jesse Belvin
78. LADY SOUL The Temptations
79. LAY IT ON THE LINE The Dominoes
80. LET ME GO HOME WHISKEY Leroy Little
81. LET’S HAVE A PARTY Amos Milburn
82. LITTLE QUEENIE Chuck Berry
83. LONELY TEARDROPS Jackie Wilson
84. LOOK WHAT YOU DO TO ME Snooky Pryor
85. LOVE OF MY LIFE The Quails
86. LOVEABLE LILLIE Lillian Leach and The Mellows
87. LOVER AND FRIEND Minnie Ripperton
88. MAKE IT BE ME The Flares
89. MAMA, TALK TO YOUR DAUGHTER Ray Sharpe
90. MAY I Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs
91. MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT Joe Turner
92. MOVE ME BABY Jimmy Witherspoon
93. MY GIRL The Temptations
94. NIGHT AND DAY Earl Bostic
95. NIP SIP The Clovers
96. NO SWEET LOVIN The Drifters
97. OH WHAT A THRILL Rockpile
98. ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE The Drifters
99. ONE DROP OF LOVE Ray Charles
100. ONE MINT JULEP The Clovers
101. ONE SCOTCH, ONE BOURBON, ONE BEER Amos Milburn
102. OUTSIDE OF PARADISE Ray O Vacs
103. OVER THE RAINBOW The Checkers
104. PLEASE DON’T GO Floyd Dixon
105. POISON IVY Willie Mabon
106. RED DRESS Supercharge
107. RIVER STAY AWAY FROM MY DOOR Charlie Rich
108. ROCK AND ROLL WEDDING Hank Ballard and The Midnighters
109. ROCK GRANNY ROLL Hank Ballard and The Midnighters
110. ROCKIN’ ALL THE TIME Roy Brown
111. ROOSTER BLUES Delbert McClinton
112. RUB A LITTLE BOOGIE Champion Jack Dupree
113. SADIE MY LADY The Drifters
114. SATELLITE BABY Roosevelt Sykes
115. SAVOY BOOGIE Jimmy McCracklin
116. SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN Brenda Lee
117. SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN Dinah Washington
118. 720 IN THE BOOKS Earl Bostic
119. SEXY WAYS Hank Ballard and The Midnighters
120. SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL Joe Turner
121. SHAKIN’ THE SHACK Fantastic Shakers
122. SH-BOOM Chords
123. SHE FELT TOO GOOD Jimmy McCracklin
124. SHUT YOUR MOUTH B. B. King
125. SICK AND TIRED LuLa Reed
126. SIX TO EIGHT Sticks McGhee
127. SIXTY MINUTE MAN Billy Ward and The Dominoes
128. SLOW BOAT TO CHINA Ronnie Dove
129. SMOKEY PLACES The Corsairs
130. SOMEBODY TOUCHED ME Ruth Brown
131. SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW The Fantastics
132. STAGGER LEE Lloyd Price
133. STAND BY ME Ben E. King
134. STAY Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs
135. STREET WALKING WOMAN T-Bone Walker
136. STRING OF PEARLS Glenn Miller
137. SUMMERTIME Earl Bostic
138. SWEET SUE Big Joe Turner
139. TA TA Clyde McPhatter
140. TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS Freddy King
141. TANQUERAY Johnnie Johnson
142. TEARS KEEP TUMBLING DOWN Ruth Brown
143. THANK YOU JOHN Willie Tee
144. THE DEACON MOVES IN Little Esther & The Dominoes
145. THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT The Jarmels
146. THERE GOES MY BABY The Drifters
147. THERE’S NO TOMORROW The Clovers
148. THINK The 5 Royales
149. 39 – 21 – 40 SHAPE The Showmen
150. TIME MAKES YOU CHANGE Dells
151. TONIGHT AND FOREVER The Whirlers
152. TOO LATE Five Keys
153. TOO MUCH LOVIN’ The 5 Royales
154. TORE UP Harmonica Fats
155. TRUE FINE MAMA Little Richard
156. TUNE UP Jr. Walker
157. TWO HEARTS Otis Williams and The Charms
158. WEE BABY BLUES Joe Turner
159. WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES Esther Phillips
160. WHAT ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTER J. B. Lenoir
161. WHEN LOVE IS NEW Arthur Prysock
162. WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER The Checkers
163. WHY DON’T CHA STOP IT Buddy and Ella Johnson
164. WITCHCRAFT Jesse Belvin
165. WOE IS ME The Cadillacs
166. WOULD I MIND Steve Gibson and The Redcaps
167. YOU NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD The Checkers
168. YOUR CASH AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT TRASH The Clovers
169. YOUR DADDY’S DOGGIN’ AROUND Todd Rhodes
170. YOU’RE IN LOVE Five Vets
171. YOU’RE SO EASY TO LOVE Tommy James
172. YOU’RE THE BOSS Jimmy Ricks & Lavern Baker
173. ZING WENT THE STRINGS The Coasters
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Rules:
1. Non-Pro winners upon their next nationals will dance in the Senior or Pro divisions.
2. To enter Pro or Senior division one member of the couple must have moved to Pro status. This means they may have reached Pro status without entering a contest such as winning the last Novice contest on the C.S.A. circuit before applications are due.
3. Records must be brought to the 4:00 p.m. Finals & Prelims meetings with N.S.D.C. form. Forms will be turned in. Contestants will dance one record from the Preservation List Thursday, one record Friday and one record on Saturday if in the final cut. Masters dance Friday & Saturday night. Length — 3 minutes each night. Prelims – Friday- 2 minute record with required steps & a 2 minute record on Saturday night for Prelim competitors and all finalist competitors.
4. Attendance at the pre-contest meeting is mandatory by at least one of the competing partners.
5. Should there not be enough qualified dancers in either Junior division then both shall become one division. The overall Junior award is given to the couple placing the highest of both divisions.
6. Masters Division — The female must be at least 49 years of age and the male at least 50 years of age by the last night of competition. Their combined age must be at least 100 years of age. Age is not the only criteria. They also must show they have “mastered” the artistry of the dance through their dancing career. One of couple composition must be an inducted member of the Shaggers Hall of Fame.
7. Each couple will be composed of one male and one female.
8. Judging for the Preliminaries and the Finals will be the National’s placement system.
9. Scoring for Finals will be cumulative for Judges’ final decision — all three dances (two for the Masters) will decide Judges’ championship placement.
10. The overall winner from Pro, Non-Pro, Juniors and Seniors Divisions will be determined by the judges ranking the divisional winner #1- #4 in preference.
11. Any contest rulings will be governed by a majority vote of the N.S.D.C. Board of Directors.
12. The entry fee is $75.00 per couple. Make checks payable to the National Shag Dance Championships.
13. Juniors must not have reached their 21st birthday by the last night of competition for Division II and not reached their 15th birthday by the last night of competition for Division I.
14. The Nationals committee reserves the right to disqualify or give a year’s prohibition — disallowing him/her to compete the following year (s) for exemplifying un-sportsman-like conduct.
15. The entry deadline is listed at the bottom of the application form. Application and entry fees must be in the hands of the Nationals by the deadline, not postmarked by that date. Any applications received late will be returned, no exceptions.
16. Requirement steps – Compulsory! – For 1st Round – Friday night (Prelims) and Thursday night (Finals), Masters are exempt – The following shag steps must be done by male and female at the same time:
Basic – Facing each other.
Pivot – full
Duck Walk – on one foot, the other – male and female simultaneously.
Boogie Walk – kick and boogie, boogie – male and female simultaneously.
Belly Roll – at least one complete belly roll; with male lead (his left on a 1-2
count, then 3-4 count on his right, then 5-6).
Judging auditors (2) will check off requirement steps.
For each step not performed – each judge’s placement will drop the couple one position for the first night’s score. Example: If a judge places you third and you omit the belly-roll and a pivot, you would be placed fifth on the judge’s ballot.
17. Each dancer is limited to dance in one division.
18. Senior Division – The female and male must be at least 40 years of age. These ages must be reached by the last night of the finals in March. Judged on smoothness, togetherness, repertoire, execution and degree of difficulty.
19. N.S.D.C. Board and Committee members are eligible to enter any division, but will not serve on “The Judges Selection Committee”.
20. A list of classic shag recordings is available to all Pro, Non-Pro, Seniors and Juniors to select from for their Thursday night requirements record. The list was selected by many Disc- Jockeys in order of preference #1 – #25 and the top 173 comprise the list. The list is on this website. Dancers may fax or e-mail their Thursday night letter of preference ASAP (prior to sending in their application). NO record will be danced to more than two times on that night. The first faxed or e-mailed times and dates will be the couples to use the record. This is to avoid hearing the same record more than twice.
21. When a Non-Pro dancer wins his or her third C.S.A/S.P.A (combined) contest they move into the Pro Division of the Nationals even if they have not danced Pro in C.S.A or S.P.A.
