Keepers Of The Dance
By Bob Myrick
The Keepers Of The Dance was started in 1998 by the Beach Shaggers National Hall Of Fame to honor former junior shaggers who have continued to participate in our dance, music, and lifestyle after their junior years and have been instrumental in "keeping" the dance and music alive. The brain child of Harry Driver and Chick Hedrick, fostered by Vickie Carter and a host of other Hall of Famers, this organization has grown and flourished over the years.
Each year during Spring Shag Attack weekend in March, the "Keepers" committee meets and select a male and female to be inducted in October along with the Hall Of Fame Inductions. In February of the following year each new inductee's picture and biography are hung with the past inductees in "Keepers Corner" now located in Fat Harolds Beach Club.
ANNUAL KEEPERS OF THE DANCE SHAG CONTEST
The first annual Keepers of the Dance contest was held at Fat Harolds Beach Club on February 19 & 20, 2010. Highlights of the weekend included a final qualifying contest on Friday night, introduction of the 2009 inductees, a cocktail party for sponsors, judges, and contestants Saturday afternoon, and the finals on Saturday night. Fat Harold and staff were great hosts as usual. The club was packed both nights, and everyone enjoyed a great party and the best shag contest in recent memory!
Over $5,000.00 in prize money was awarded to the winners in the Junior, Senior, and Open divisions. Most of the "Keepers" were in attendance and many had qualified to dance in the Open division finals.
As a result of the success of this first contest, it has become an annual event held at Fat Harolds Beach Club each February based on the same weekend format as at the original. This would not be possible without the continuing support of the contest’s wonderful sponsors, which include Fat Harolds, many Beach Shaggers National Hall Of Famers, other shag club owners, the NSDC, the GNDC, Our Time, many local businesses, and the great patrons of Fat Harolds and supporters of the dance who attend. To learn more about this year’s contest look on the “Keepers Contest Schedule,” “Contest Flyers” and “Keepers Contest Results” sections of this website.
