Voices of Inspiration
Voices of Inspiration is a travel podcast that goes beyond the guidebook. Hosted by Amelia Old, each episode centers on the people who give a destination its soul—travelers with transformative stories, locals who call these places home, tourism professionals shaping how we experience them, and others whose work or lives are deeply connected to a place.
Through candid conversations, Amelia uncovers the moments, challenges, and personal histories that reveal what a destination is truly like. These aren't surface-level travel tips—they're stories about identity, belonging, resilience, and discovery. The kind that help you understand not just what a place is, but why it matters to the people who know it best.
At its core, this podcast is about connection: how travel brings us face-to-face with perspectives we might never encounter otherwise, and how every destination becomes richer once you've heard the voices behind it.
Voices of Inspiration
Celebrating 40 Years of Shag Dancing in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
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There’s something special about traditions that bring people together—and shag dancing is exactly that. I sat down with local shag experts in North Myrtle Beach to talk about the history, evolution, and heart behind South Carolina’s state dance, and what it means to the people who live it every day.
From first discovering the dance at the old Myrtle Beach Pavilion to the lifelong friendships, community, and even love stories that have grown from it, this conversation dives into how shag is so much more than just steps on a floor. It’s a lifestyle, a legacy, and a passion that continues to connect generations.
Episode Highlights
[00:39] - I sit down at the North Myrtle Beach Historical Museum with shag expert Daryl Gaither
[01:16] - How Daryl first discovered shag dancing and fell in love with it
[02:50] - The energy and experience of SOS—“spring break for grownups”
[04:10] - How the dance has evolved over the years while staying true to its roots
[05:37] - The welcoming, tight-knit community that makes shag so unique
[06:24] - The rise, decline, and resurgence of shag clubs over time
[08:24] - The role of social media in bringing new life to the dance
[09:21] - How SOS grew into a major event bringing thousands together
[11:53] - Advice for beginners: mastering the basics and learning from the right people
[14:15] - Words of wisdom on passion and passing traditions to the next generation
[15:17] - Lori Setzer shares how shag dancing became a meaningful part of her life
[18:14] - Stories of friendships, relationships, and even marriages formed through shag
[23:35] - Tips for learning, growing, and getting out on the dance floor
Links & Resources
- Schedule your Carolina Shag Lessons in Myrtle Beach by emailing Darrell at gaither@mindspring.com
- North Myrtle Beach Area Historical Museum
- Myrtle Beach
If this made you want to get out, try something new, or reconnect with a passion, take that as your sign. And if you enjoyed listening, be sure to follow, rate, share, and leave a review—it helps these stories reach more people.
SPECIAL THANKS FOR THIS EPISODE:
VIDEOGRAPHY, AUDIO, AND BTS : MELANIE LECH https://melanielechmultimedia.com
Everyone has a story to tell. We connect and relate to one another when we share our stories. My name is Amelia Old and I am your host of Voices of Inspiration. Join me as I share stories of friends, family and strangers from my everyday life and travels. You will laugh, possibly cry or walk away, feeling connected more than ever to those around you and ready to be the change our world needs. Everyone has a story to tell. What's yours?
Speaker 2Welcome to Voices of Inspiration. I'm your host, amelia Old, and today we are at the North Myrtle Beach Historical Museum with local shag expert, daryl Gaither.
Speaker 4Thank, you so much for joining me today.
Speaker 2I am so excited to learn more about the state dance, and this is the 40th anniversary of the state dance 40th anniversary since it became the state dance of South Carolina. So can you just talk a little bit about how you first became involved with this dance and what does it mean to you personally?
Speaker 4I became involved in it in 1968 at the old Myrtle Beach Pavilion. At the old Myrtle Beach Pavilion A couple of friends and I were down just for the weekend and we came off the beach, went up to the pavilion and heard music playing and I said let's go up there. And there were a lot of young people there shagging. I didn't know what they were doing. They were having fun, so I was watching and my buddy said come on, let's get out of here. I was like no, I think I'll go hang around a while. I like what I'm seeing here because there's a lot of good-looking girls there. Long story short, I got to talking to a couple of them and they taught me the basic step and a couple of turns. So I went home and I practiced it real hard. And I came back a couple of months later and got up the nerve to ask a girl to dance and she said you realize you're dancing on the female foot. I'm like well, I guess that means there's a male foot. Females taught me. So they taught me on the female foot. So I had to go back and relearn it.
Speaker 4And then, you know, life came along and you know, with family and job and sort of veered away from a while, then got back to it, off and on over the years, and then I came to my first SOS in 1988, which is, in a nutshell it's a 10-day spring break for grownups.
Speaker 4People from all over the country come in by the thousands just for this. To me it was like, I guess, going to the fair for the first time. I was just in awe of everybody and everybody was having fun. They were dancing on the beach, they were dancing in the clubs and it was all ages of people, I mean from six years old to in their 90s, wow, and they were just having a ball and I'm like, yeah, this is for me. And then I really got serious about it and first off, you know, took some private lessons and for a good number of years started teaching and then started competing and I don't compete much anymore, except in what mixed doubles contests, but I still love to go to the competitions and watching. You know, a lot of great friends I've made over the years still compete and love it and still teach. And I've been teaching 25 years and it just gets better.
Speaker 2How have you seen the dance evolve over these years, especially in its significance in South Carolina?
Speaker 4Well, it's talking about the dance itself. Used to, we danced in a sort of like a circle. It didn't matter where you let your partner out. Well, as it gained popularity, we were bumping into each other. So it evolved now into a track or a slot dance. So you can, we tell everybody, try to imagine yourself dancing on a diving board. So it's only so wide, so long, and you don't want to get wet, so you keep in your little space or on your diving board. But there have been so many young people over the years that have come up and actually changed the style of the dance for the better. And those guys are amazing and you know those guys I'm talking about. Now they are married and got children who are dancing and competing. So it is continually evolving. There's always new steps. It's like a 10,000 piece puzzle. You just put parts of this here and there and there and finally you've got a real nice picture.
Speaker 2Can you talk a little bit about the atmosphere and the community here in Myrtle Beach around shag dancing.
Speaker 4The atmosphere is like nothing you will experience in any other, I guess, gathering, because everybody is so friendly. If you want to learn a new step that you saw them do, 99% of the time they're going to stop what they're doing. Right then and show you that step and we'd all come together for one common goal and that's just to dance and have fun and share stories from the past. So it's great, it's awesome.
Speaker 2Have you noticed any trends or changes in popularity recently?
Speaker 4Back in the day there was shag clubs were like 7-Elevens, they were everywhere. I mean back where I'm from, in the Washington-Salem area, within a 25-mile radius there were seven or eight shag clubs and sadly, because of a lot of factors that has declined. There's not really shag clubs. Most of the clubs have a venue that they go to once a week or once a month. Uh, fat harrell's and the od pavilion here in north myrtle beach are the only two, to my knowledge, shag clubs in the carolinas that are 100 dedicated to the shag, the promotion, the preservation of the dance, the music. Uh, so my hat goes off to Harold Worley for keeping that alive, who owns both those establishments.
Speaker 4But the COVID hit and it really hurt a lot and that was the downfall of a lot of the clubs because they just couldn't survive. But it has thankfully in the last two years started to regain its momentum. I've noticed, I've been out this week and all the clubs that are here the Pavilion, fat Harold's, ducks, od Arcade, they're packed. I mean during the day they're packed. I mean during the day they're packed, and even at midnight it's like probably 200 to 300 people in there.
Speaker 2Wow, I see a lot of videos on TikTok, for example. Do you think that that plays a role in the club starting to become full even during the day?
Speaker 4It does and it's all a good thing, the promotion of it, because you can go on YouTube, tiktok, twitter I mean it's the top of the town for a lot of people and you know we're very fortunate that North Myrtle Beach, you know, is, I guess, the home of the Shag and host this event, because it brings millions and millions of dollars of revenue into North Myrtle Beach. So, you know, not only from the bars but the hotels and the restaurants, the amusement parks, because people come down, they do get out and shag, but they have their kids or grandkids with them and they want to do other things, so that money is spread around, I guess, in a pretty good circle here.
Speaker 2Can you talk a little bit more about the event?
Speaker 4When SOS first started 1980, I think it was the brainchild of Swink Lauder and another guy, Anyway they had an idea that they would have an event to bring the old lifeguards back for a gathering and started out. It was a three-day party, or reunion, so to speak, just for the guys that were dancing back then and they were lifeguarding, or you know, busboys or waiters or whatever. And it since has evolved to three events a year. We have midwinter in January, we have spring safari, which is going on now for 10 days. We have fall migration in September, which is 10 days. And not only that, but now we have a week in mid-July called Junior SOS, to get the younger generation involved in it, and normally we'll have six to eight hundred juniors here, and when I say juniors I'm talking from four years old up to 20 years old.
Speaker 4Once you hit 21, you're not considered a junior, but they have all kind of activities and fundraisers for them, and if you see these young people dance it's just amazing. I mean your jaw is just going to drop. Some of the things that they do. They have no fear and they're so glimmer and the camaraderie between those and the older people is amazing. You'll walk into a club during SOS, which they open up the doors to them to 11 o'clock at night. You will see a 10-year-old dancing with a 70-year-old, I mean, and the young people come up. They want to dance all night long. So I'm glad there's more of us here than there are of them. They will wear you out.
Speaker 2That's really great, though, that you've got different parts of the community that are all coming together, all ages, and that have found this mutual love of a dance. Different parts of the community that are all coming together, all ages, and that have found this mutual love of a dance. I think that's really incredible. What advice would you give to someone that wants to learn?
Speaker 4If you want to learn, find a seasoned instructor and don't get over-anxious to try to learn everything. Do one step until you do it well and then move on, Because if you try to learn everything at one time, it's like trying to make goulash.
Speaker 4You know you just got a mess in there, but just take your time and practice your basic step. I tell everybody, if you want to be a good dancer, perfect your basic, because every step in this dance comes from the basic step, or every move in this dance so. But make sure that your instructors are well known, incredible, have a lot of experience in advance so they know how to communicate what they're seeing to where you can understand what you need to do.
Speaker 2Can you share a memorable or uplifting story from your experience over the years with shag dancing?
Speaker 4A funny story.
Speaker 2Sure, funny is good.
Speaker 4I was at a contest and they were pro dancers. Well, the guy was doing a spin, a free spin, not connected to his partner and he fell flat on his back on the floor. His wife looked down at him, straddled him and danced over him from his toes to his head, turned around, he got up, came back up right on beat and just kept right on dancing. That was probably one of the funniest things I've seen. It was hilarious and, of course, the crowd just went nuts.
Speaker 2Talk about just rolling with the moment.
Speaker 4Go with the flow. It's all in the recovery Right.
Speaker 2Well, thank you so much for taking time to be with me today. I do have one more question for you. Do you have a favorite quote or any words of wisdom you'd like to leave behind with the listeners?
Speaker 4I would say, regardless of what your ambition in life is, do it with a passion is do it with a passion and don't be afraid to share your passion, whatever that happens to be, with your family, your friends and especially the younger generation, if you want that to be passed on and continue Like in Shag. It's not only just a dance, it's a lifestyle. In this area, it's just that's what we do.
Speaker 2Thank you so much Thank you. We are at the North Myrtle Beach Area Historical Museum and we have another local Shag expert, Lori Setzer. Thank you so much for chatting with me today and talking a little bit about one of your greatest passions Absolutely my pleasure. So let's just start off by talking about how did you discover your love for shag dancing.
Speaker 3I had in Carolina University of North Carolina, had played with shag a little bit but never taken any lessons, no training whatsoever. And one year my husband came to me at Valentine's and he said I'm out of ideas of what to get you. What would you like? And we were both working a lot of hours at the time and I said to him I want something that we have to do together, because I really was trying to just force some together time. And he said well, you've always wanted shag lessons, why don't you see if you can find somebody that would teach?
Speaker 3So I Googled and found Daryl of all people, and so we went to our first class and I seriously think that John thought we would probably do a month's worth of classes and we would be done. And we got there and we recognized a few folks that we knew and just loved the people and started learning the dance and realized that we love all of it. So that really is how I got started, and that was in 2006. Oh wow, and met people that are friends to this day in those beginning classes and you know, daryl has become for me not only shag instructor but amazing friend.
Speaker 2So that's really special and it sounds like that's a common theme in this community of of building these really close relationships and it is.
Speaker 3It is definitely a community, it is a lifestyle and that was something that I think was driven home with us. We'd been taking maybe three months, four months, and Daryl looked at us at the end of one of the classes and he said I have a place at the beach. Ie North Myrtle Beach, I'm going for the Fourth of July. Why don't you guys come down? I've got plenty of room. We came down and had a blast and we were closing down clubs dancing. We were closing down clubs dancing and we rode home from that trip looking at each other going if he has a place at the beach, why don't we have a place at the beach?
Speaker 2So that sort of started the trek to get to the beach.
Discovering a Passion for Dance
Speaker 2And it's continued to evolve from there. Can you share a memorable experience of maybe introducing someone to the dance and how it changed not only their life but maybe your life as well, as you watched that passion evolve, you know, with them, especially, you know, since it was something that came to you so randomly and out of the blue and you didn't expect for this love to really grow beyond a couple of months? Have you seen that same thing happen with other people that you've introduced to?
Speaker 3Not so much that I've introduced, but in those really first classes there were a fair number of single people who were taking classes and you know they would dance with whoever was available. And then you started realizing that some of those single people were becoming couples and out of Daryl's classes he had multiple couples that not only still shag to this day, but they're now married. Wow. So that was really neat. It's always neat to see someone start to learn and to buy in. Some people won't practice and they're short-lived with it, but the ones who really practice and fall in love with the dance, it becomes a passion.
Speaker 2Are there any particular songs or musicians that you think are just essential to the whole experience? That's a long list. Who are some of your favorites?
Speaker 3Some of my favorites On the top of my list, or very close to the top of my list, would be Band of Oz. I also like the Embers in the traditional beach music genre. But then Shaggers dance to a little of everything and that's one of the realizations is that as long as the beat's correct and it's danceable from a tempo perspective, you can dance to whatever. You can dance to Justin Timberlake, you can dance to country. We dance to a variety of things.
Speaker 2What are some of the challenges or even misconceptions about the dance or the dance community, even the dance?
Speaker 3community is a very tight-knit group of people and, from a challenge perspective, I've been welcomed and really blessed to have the friends that I've made through SHAC. So I can't say challenges from that perspective. I do think there are people that go oh, that's the Shaggers, you know. But particularly when they see the invasion that happens three times a year of everybody in town oh, that's the shaggers. And a lot of people have the oh, I'm too old to learn this. No, they're never too old to learn this. You'll see shaggers from literally age four to probably 94.
Speaker 2I think that's a really important point is that you're never too old to do anything really, and you're never too old for a new dream or a new passion or a new goal.
Speaker 3I started in my late 40s so, and you know it's been for a while. It was date night because we would go to class on Thursday night and that was our time together.
Speaker 2And then, as we retired, it became something to pursue and to give us something to do in retirement, that's amazing.
Speaker 3I guess. A couple of things. One I would have never imagined that I would help teach Wasn't any thought that I had whatsoever. And I was actually walking on the beach with Daryl's wife one day and she said Daryl's getting ready to teach some classes and he wants you to teach with him. And my immediate reaction to her was he doesn't want me. And she goes I think he's going to ask you. And sure enough, about a week later here comes Daryl with will you teach? And I was very, very honored. Never really had the time or the desire to do competitive shag, but to support Daryl.
Speaker 3One night my husband and I were at an event that was a fundraiser for hospice and they didn't have enough dancers. And so one of the gentlemen who taught in the Greensboro Market came up to us and he said you guys need to dance, we need dancers. And we're like we haven't prepared anything. We're here to watch and support Daryl. He said you guys need to dance. So he disappears for a little while and he comes back and he's got a big grin on his face. He said I just paid your registration fee, you guys are dancing tonight. He said I just paid your registration fee, you guys are dancing tonight. So we went in the back room at what was called Thirsty's in Greensboro and practiced for maybe five or ten minutes, just you know, can we do this step, can we do this step? And we went out and we actually won the newcomer part of that contest and that was pretty special.
Speaker 2Wow, that's pretty amazing. It's a good thing that he pushed you of that contest and that was pretty special. Wow, that's pretty amazing. So it's a good thing that he pushed you into that one For those interested in learning what would be your top tips for mastering the shag Top tips for mastering the shag.
Speaker 3Number one find an instructor and take the classes. You have to have that baseline knowledge. You can learn some things by watching, and obviously you can watch everything on YouTube. The disadvantage of watching something from a video is there's no one to say your foot's not quite right. This would make this step easier here. This would be smoother if you did this, so you don't get the feedback that you get from taking the classes. So that would be the number one thing. Number two is get out and dance, because you will learn more quickly if you get out on the floor, and a good dancer, if they're at a higher level in in their comfort than you are, they will dance to your level and they will make you look good.
Speaker 2And that's that's my my advice if somebody wanted to dance with you and daryl here in Myrtle Beach, how can they find you online?
Speaker 3We teach every Tuesday night in Calabash, actually, and we teach beginner at six, intermediate at seven and advanced at eight, and Daryl's email is the one that that those classes are hooked to and I will make sure to link to the email to be able to connect with you guys on the notes of the episode.
Speaker 2I do have one more question for you. Okay, do you have a favorite quote or any words of wisdom you'd like to leave behind?
Speaker 3My favorite boss when I was working had a quote that said that every day was a good day, but some days are better than others. And I would argue that every day is a good day, but the days that you get to live out your passion are better. I absolutely love that.
Speaker 2Thank you so much. Thank you for taking time to chat with me and telling me all about your newfound love. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 3Thank you so much.
