Ocean Drive is a "Garden of Eden" for SOS Spring Safari - by Angela Barwick

April 27, 2007 – Where else but in North Myrtle Beach’s Ocean Drive during the SOS Spring Safari can you find a packed dance class being held – at 11 o’clock in the morning?

The Main Street area of North Myrtle Beach has seen increased business and traffic all week due to the annual SOS gathering.

SOS stands for the Society of Stranders, and hosts the spring gathering of shag aficionados. Shag is the official state dance of South Carolina, formally proclaimed as such in 1984.

The dance found it roots in the Myrtle Beach area in the 1930’s but suffered a decline in the 1950’s. The relaxed form of “beach jitterbug” saw resurgence in interest in the 1970’s, and in September 1980, the first SOS club was formed and has grown in numbers since.

Ron Whisenant, SOS president, has seen the organization hit peaks and valleys in membership. September 11th affected a large portion of the members and as a result, the organization flagged for a brief time.

He stated, “However, in 2007 membership is at its peak. We have 11,600 members now”.

He is quick to add that when SOS holds an event in North Myrtle Beach, it proves to be beneficial to the local economy. Whisenant stated, “CCU [Coastal Carolina University] did in an impact study for us that showed that we brought in over $7.5 million to the area over the ten day period”.

He added, “The typical SOS member is an average of 52 to 55 years of age and with the means to come here and spend some money”.

Whisenant hails from Rock Hill, SC but owns a second home in the North Myrtle Beach area.

He stated, “Many of our members come to the area, buy second homes and become taxpayers. Many of them will retire here”.

Local businesses can attest to the boom in business when the shaggers come to town.

Greg Stegall, manager of Ducks and Ducks Too on Main Street, said, "This year is absolutely wonderful. We expect around 10,000 to 12,000 to come in and they will start rolling in today. By tonight, it will be deep at the bar”.

Ducks DJ Eddie Teeter agreed with Stegall, adding “the safari so far has been excellent. The atmosphere and overall mood is upbeat and very positive”.

Shag proves to be a strong pull for dancers of all ages.

Meagan Foster of Mullins, SC has just reached the required age of 21 to join SOS, but states “I have been coming to Ocean Drive for years to watch people dance and to have fun. This is so cool and more young people should give it a try”.

One couple pulled up stakes and moved across the country to follow their dancing feet. Dawn and Don Dilley were living in Stockton, CA when they saw the band Alabama’s video ‘Shagging on the Boulevard’ in March 1999.

Said Dilley, “we took one look at that video and thought ‘man, that is so cool. Those kids are having a ball”. The couple combined a Disney World excursion that same year with a side trip to North Myrtle Beach and was hooked. They enjoyed SOS every year, and credit the shag as the main reason they moved to the North Myrtle Beach area.

Dilley agrees that the SOS events are lucrative for the area, and stated that “shag brought more than 12,500 dancers into town during last years Fall Migration. Everyone needs to realize just how much money these folks are pumping into the area”.

Evidence of increased business can be seen up and down Main Street as the loafer-clad dancers pour into town.

Hotels in the area are booked from one year to the next, as attendees love the convenience of being able to dance the night away within walking distance of their hotel.

Jessica Worley, of the Ocean Drive Beach and Golf Resort, confirmed this by stating that because their property is “centrally located to all of the events and clubs of SOS, this event has always been successful for us. We host on-site shag dancing workshops and we provide the only non-smoking facility for shaggers. We continue to see this fun event grow year after year".

Local eateries also enjoy the same increased traffic. Local cafeteria Hoskins boasted a line of hungry shaggers waiting to get in most of the day, while most restaurants and fast food establishments in North Myrtle Beach had heavier crowds throughout the days.

Whisenant was quick to point out, however, that shaggers are not just in town for the fun. He stated that “not only are we partying and having a good time, but we do good things as well. As an organization, we try to give back to the local community”.

One example of their giving is that SOS donated money to the City’s Public Safety Department for much needed equipment, such as bikes for officers.

Local shag clubs join in the philanthropic endeavor by hosting charity events as well.

Fat Harold’s Beach Club, owned by Harold Bessent, hosts an annual auction to benefit Camp Kemo. According to Whisenant, “more than $75,000 was raised (for Kamp Kemo) during last years Fall Migration and he has raised millions over the years”.

Other charities benefiting from the dancers generosity include a $100,000 grant to the local hospice and a $100,000 dance scholarship for a University of South Carolina student.

Shag and its many followers have proven to be a boon to the north strand for decades, with many local clubs becoming landmarks.

Whisenant said, “Because shaggers love to come here, local clubs like Ducks and Harold’s can stay open. We bring in enough business that we can sustain the Main Street businesses for the rest of the year”.

When asked why North Myrtle Beach was the favorite destination for so many shaggers, Whisenant was quick to answer that “Ocean Drive is our Garden of Eden. There is no other place on earth as unique as this”.

Aside from dancing, visiting and strolling on Main Street,shaggers can watch the filming of a shag movie at the OD Resort, beginning Wednesday.

The Spring Safari parade (rated as a must see event by NorthMyrtleBeachONLINE) will be held on Saturday on Main Street at 1 pm.

SOS will wrap up their stay on Sunday but will return in force for the Fall Migration, which begins September 14th.

Visit the gallery on the Surf's website for more photos!