Since 1981, married couple Jackie McGee and Charlie Womble have been dancing together competitively. In that time, they have won a huge amount of awards and accolades. This has included going twelve years undefeated in over 300 competitions.
They also won America’s prestigious National Shag Dance competition for nine of the first ten competitions. They became so synonymous with the competition that the trophy was redesigned in their likeness.
In 2013, even in their sixties, McGee and Womble showcased that time had not dimmed their brilliance. On the 13th of July that year, they treated the audience at the ShagAtlanta ACSC Summer Workshop to an exhibition dance. The mere mention of their names brought forth cheers from a crowd well aware they were about to witness a performance by this legendary dance duo.
Their routine kicked off to the rhythm of “Be Myself Again” by Eric Benet. Starting with laid-back shuffles and turns, McGee and Womble gradually accelerated, tapping their feet with precision. The crowd responded enthusiastically, whooping and clapping as the duo displayed their hypnotic legwork. Womble’s spin, executed with the agility of someone half his age, drew further cheers of appreciation.
Throughout the performance, McGee and Womble displayed an astonishing synchronicity in their steps, a testament to the deep understanding that comes with over forty years of marriage. Their elasticity, evident in spins and shuffles, conveyed pure joy, evident in the smiles on their faces as they did what they loved most.
As the performance came to an end, the crowd erupted in cheers. The presenter summed it up perfectly, stating, “Ladies and gentlemen, it doesn’t get no better than that.”
On YouTube, the video of their performance has hit nearly 15 million views and received numerous sincere compliments. It’s surprising to know how many viewers admitted to re-watching this video thousands of times each year. A person wrote, “All these years later and I still come back to watch this awesome performance.”