Learn this must-know choreography!

Learn the Shim Sham and join in the next social dance! In this workshop, we'll guide you step-by-step and teach you the world's most famous swing routine. Whether you're completely new to the Shim Sham or want to brush up on your moves, after this course you'll be able to confidently dance on any social dance floor. Come along, have fun, and dance your way into the community!

The Shim Sham originated in 1927 when Leonard Reed and Willie Bryant developed a short finale routine for the famous Whitman Sisters show. The tap choreography was originally called "Goofus" and consisted of four steps—double shuffle, tack annie, crossover, and half break—danced to "Turkey in the Straw." Through dancer Joe Jones, the routine made its way to New York, where The Three Little Words popularized it in Harlem in 1931 as the Shim Sham or Shim Sham Shimmy. From there, the dance quickly spread as a simple group dance without taps, finding its way into shows and television programs, and eventually being danced in the Savoy Ballroom—an early form of a tradition that continues to connect Lindy Hoppers today.