In 1985, Fran Bingley and a dedicated group of people who loved to dance formed the Tidewater Shag Club.  The name changed to Virginia Beach Shag Club in 1989.  The club was accepted into the Association of Carolina Shag Clubs (ACSC) in 1992. 

The club has sponsored three other shag clubs into the ACSC, Outer Banks Shag Club, NC; Boogie on the Bay Shag Club, Portsmouth, VA and Northern Virginia Shag Club.  The club also sponsored the first Junior Shag Club in Virginia in 1995. 

They also raise money for the local charity,  “Edmarc” (Children with terminal illness).

Just south of the Chesapeake Bay, on the coast of Virginia, you can find the Virginia Beach shaggers having a “grand old time“. These shaggers meet at Steppin Out, 600 Nevan Rd. On Wednesday nights the club meets for “Mix N Mingle Night” at 6:45pm and on Fridays they can come listen to the DJ at 8:00pm. Usually a beach band will be playing around 9:30pm. On the first Sunday of the month, the Virginia Beach Shag Club has their monthly social at Steppin Out. The social starts at 5:00pm with a shag lesson, taught by a rotating list of instructors. The lessons are free with admission to the social. Members get in for $5 and guests get in for $7. After the lesson ends at 6:00pm, the music and fun begins along with a buffet dinner. The dancing continues until 9:00pm. 5 club DJ’s rotate spinning the tunes on Wednesday and Sunday. Steppin Out has a raised 20’ x 40’ wooden dance floor excellent for pivots and spins, and the usual 100 or so shaggers at the social, keep the floor hot. You’ll find plenty of tables available and a gracious wait staff. The dance area is smoke free so the smokers gather at the alternative bar in another area of the lounge away from the dance floor area.

You’ll find these shag club members out and about at the sister clubs in the area in addition to being at the local beach music festivals and SOS. They also have a few other locations in town where they can dance which are Dockside Restaurant on Sundays from 4:00pm-8:00pm and a new venue called D & M Seafood for beach weekends on Saturdays and Sundays. (except Social Sundays)