Paul & Rebecca Blackwelder
- Carolina Shag InstructorS -
My wife and I teach together, and there’s nothing we love more than watching the happiness, the laughter, and even the love that can grow from a smooth, casual Shag dance. Every step brings people closer — and we get a front‑row seat to the joy it creates.
LEARN WITH PAUL & REBECCA20+
5+
500+
500+
What You’ll Learn from Paul & Rebecca
Feel the fun
Every lesson is designed to make you laugh, loosen up, and enjoy the music. If you’re smiling, you’re doing it right.
Join the community
You’re not just learning steps - you’re joining one of the friendliest dance communities in the Carolinas.
Celebrate small wins
Every new step feels like a victory. And trust me, you’ll get them faster than you think.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS
Twenty years ago, my Shag journey began with a simple gift: a VHS tape from Charlotte Shaggers Hall of Fame dancer Carol Thomas featuring Charlie and Jackie Womble teaching the basic step. One watch was all it took - I was hooked. What started as curiosity quickly became a passion, and for the next decade I chased every lesson I could find.
Along the way, I discovered something extraordinary. The Shag world is bigger, warmer, and more welcoming than most people ever imagine.I met hundreds of incredible dancers, mentors, and friends who turned every class and social into a celebration. The community didn’t just teach me steps - it gave me a home.
About ten years in, friends began asking me to show them how to do certain steps. One question led to another, and before long I found myself teaching beginners across the Charlotte area. Those classes have been going strong ever since, and nothing makes me happier than seeing so many of those early students still out on the floor, kicking it up with confidence and joy.
And then Shag handed me the greatest surprise of all - a lottery-level win. I met my future wife. A former ballet dancer who once performed on stage in New York with Mikhail Baryshnikov, she slipped into the rhythm of Shag and the flow of teaching as if she’d been born for it. Since then, we’ve been dancing, teaching, and competing side by side, sharing the magic that brought us together.
Shag has given us community, purpose, unforgettable memories, and a love story we never saw coming. Every time we teach, we’re reminded of the dancers who began their journey with us - and the joy they’ve found along the way.
We’d love to be part of your journey too. If Shag has given us this much happiness, we’re certain it has something special waiting for you as well.
Find Your Rhythm
Whether you’re putting on your first pair of loafers or refining your pivot, 
we have a place for you. Explore by instructor, experience level, or type of training.
Paul & Rebecca Blackwelder
Workshop Recording
Paul & Rebecca Blackwelder
Workshop Recording
Paul & Rebecca Blackwelder
Workshop Recording
