Lindy Hoppers the world over dance the Shim Sham, aka. the Shim Sham Shimmy, and you should too!
The Shim Sham was originally a tap dance created by Leonard Reed and Willie Bryant. It became a dance that musicians, singers, and dancers would perform together to close out the show. The Shim Sham spread to the Savoy Ballroom where Lindy Hoppers would dance it without the taps.
Frankie Manning introduced the Shim Sham to the swing dance community in the 1980s and we’ve all been dancing it every since!
This is what the first chorus of the Shim Sham would look like:
| Right Shim Sham | Left Shim Sham | Right Shim Sham | Shim Sham Break |
| Push, Push, Crossover Right | Push, Push, Crossover Left | Push, Push, Crossover Right | Double Cross Over |
| Tack Annie | Tack Annie | Tack Annie | Shim Sham Break |
| Half Break | Shim Sham Break | Half Break | Shim Sham Break |
Then for Chorus #2 – freezes in place of the Shim Sham breaks
| Right Shim Sham | Left Shim Sham | Right Shim Sham | FREEZE |
| Push, Push, Crossover Right | Push, Push, Crossover Left | Push, Push, Crossover Right | Double Cross Over |
| Tack Annie | Tack Annie | Tack Annie | FREEZE |
| Half Break | FREEZE | Half Break | FREEZE |
| Boogie Back | Boogie Forward | Boogie Back | Boogie Forward |
| Jump Boogie Back | Shorty George | Jump Boogie Back | Shorty George |
DANCE!
Frankie Manning and Erin Stevens dancing the Shim Sham:
Frankie Manning and Chazz Young killing it:
My feet: