Welcome to 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. Past winners of the NSDC have performed on countless TV shows and events including: Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, PGA Annual Banquets, NBA Games, Beach Music Awards, and Harvard University.
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
The Beth Mitchell Memorial Scholarship committee has named the Four 2021 Beth Mitchell Scholars with an award of $5,000 each. They are Lizzie Batten of North Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Trey Henley of Elon College, N.C.; Meredith Padgett of Mooresville, N.C. and Mack West of Hamlet, N.C. Present scholars who will receive $1,000 each are Drew Allen of UNCO Charlotte; Jackson Batten of U.S.C.; Kaylee Bravo of Campbell University Law School; and Isley Turner of N.C. State University. All students have competed in the National Shag Dance Championships in the past making them eligible for the scholarship given in memory of Beth Mitchell, the 1998 Non-Pro Shag Championship and an elementary school teacher from Stoneville, N.C. The recipients will receive their scholarships in the fall and their plaques at the National Shag prelims on January 28, 2022 at the Spanish Galleon in North Myrtle Beach.
