Underhill's Swing and Shag Dance Collective

As a Recreation Specialist, Dance Instructor and a long time advocate for the Kinetic Connection of partner dancing, I am gravely concerned. A quiet shift is happening in Carolina Shag and other vernacular dance clubs and partner dance venues,  across the Southeast and beyond, and if we don't look at it critically, we may be watching the "slow death" of a beloved dance in favor of something far less connected. The Rise of the Solo-in-a-Group We’ve all seen it: the lights dim, the Beach Music or Rhythm & Blues stops, and a high-energy pop or country track comes on. The floor—once a series of linear "slots" where couples held a non-verbal conversation—suddenly transforms into a stationary "grid" of individuals performing synchronized choreography. Line dancing is fun, accessible, and requires no partner. But when it begins to move from a "supplement" to a "substitute," the very quality of our instructional opportunities and socia...

Ever feel like your brain is just mush after a long week? What if we told you the cure might be as simple as hitting the dance floor? Forget complicated science for a second and let's get real: dancing is one of the most fun ways to give your brain a serious upgrade. Turns out, a huge study called the U.S. POINTER trial found that a little bit of everything—moving your body, eating well, staying social, and challenging your mind—can make your brain sharper as you get older. The best part? Dancing hits all four of those things at once! It's like your favorite hobby is secretly a ninja workout for your mind. Why Dancing is Your Brain's Best Friend You're getting your cardio on. Dancing is a low-key way to get your heart pumping and send some fresh, oxygen-rich blood up to your brain. It's exercise, but with way better music. It's mental gymnastics. Learning new moves, remembering a routine, and trying not to trip over your own feet is a legit mental challenge. ...

We often think of purpose as this grand, overarching mission in life, something we need to discover through deep introspection and perhaps a bit of existential angst. But what if purpose wasn't so elusive? What if we could learn a thing or two about it from the very beings who seem to navigate the world with an innate sense of joy and engagement: children? I recently stumbled upon a fascinating article on Psychology Today, " What Kids Can Teach Us About Purpose ," and it sparked an immediate connection to something near and dear to my heart: dance. It struck me how profoundly the act of dancing, whether in a structured class or simply moving freely to music, embodies so many of the seemingly effortless ways children find meaning and purpose in their day-to-day lives. Think about the sheer joy a child experiences when they run, jump, or twirl. It's pure, unadulterated fun. Dance, at its core, offers the same. The feeling of your body moving in rhythm, expressing the m...