The Carolina Shaggers: Dance as Serious Leisure

TLDR

Serious leisure theory was applied to study shag dancing, aiming to uncover why participants remain involved over time. Researchers conducted a three‑year ethnographic study, gathering in‑depth interviews at regional shag festivals and analyzing the data using Spradley’s method. The study identified casual and serious shag dancers, with five subtypes, confirming Stebbins’ six qualities of serious leisure, and found that friendship drives long‑term commitment while dancers adjust involvement to fit changing lifestyles.

Abstract

The concept of serious leisure (Stebbins, 1992) was used to investigate the social world of shag dancing to determine the reasons for long-term involvement and commitment to the dance. Data were collected over a three-year period through in-depth interviews at regional shag festivals. A method of ethnographic analysis was used to analyze the data (Spradley, 1979). Two types of dancers, casual and serious, were identified and differentiated into five subtypes. Results confirm Stebbins (1992) six qualities of serious leisure. Friendship was cited as the most important reason for long-term involvement and commitment to the dance. Findings indicate the shag world is a combination of serious leisure and casual leisure. Participants choose their level of involvement based on changing lifestyle needs.