Michael Norris began Carolina Shag dancing at the age of 10 and began competing in it the next year.   He branched into West Coast Swing in 1995 and began competing at the US Open and the NASDE tour in 1996.

Besides teaching, performing and judging across the United States, he has been hired in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia. He had the distinction of dancing with WSDC and Carolina Shag Hall of Fame member, Ellen Taylor, in Las Vegas at the Gold Coast Hotel’s “Norma Miller’s History of Dance Show’.

He is proud to have coached the Junior Shag Team in 2019 (placing 1^st at the US Open) and in 2023 (placing 2^nd at the US Open; and founded, coached and choreographed the first every Non-Professional Shag Team (16 couples), which still competes annually.

His achievements include winning the US Open Classic division in 1999 and 2007; being a member of the National Shag Dance Team which won the US Open Team division in 1998; and being a 7-time US Open Shag Division Champion.

In the Carolina Shag community, he is a 7-time USA Grand Nationals Team Champion, a 2007 USA Grand Nationals Classic Champion, a 4-time USA Grand Nationals Junior Champion and a 9-time USA Grand Nationals Carolina Classic Champion. He also was part of the first junior couple to win the Overall Title at the National Shag Dance Championships.  His accomplishments at the National Shag Championships include being a 7-time Junior Champion, a 2-time Professional Champion, and 4-time Overall Champion; as well as being their 2024 “Champion of Champions” Jack and Jill winner.

Michael was a dancer in the “Shagging On The Boulevard” music video for Alabama, and in the “Muppets From Outer Space’ movie; and was a featured dancer at Myrtle Beach’s ‘Planet Hollywood and All-Star Café’ grand opening.  Being a member of the National Shag Dance Team for over 10 years included multiple appearances on ‘Good Morning America’. He had also coached and choreographed the National Shag Dance Team for 5 years. For 3 years, he taught and performed at Lincoln Center’s “Midsummer Night Swing Event’ and was also a summer instructor at Dance Manhattan (NYC) for 3 years.

Additional awards include: 2007 “Impact Couple of the Year’, with Kellese Key; induction into the National Beach Shaggers Hall of Fame ‘Keepers Of The Dance’ in 2005 and induction into the National Living Legends of Dance in 2023. He has been a recipient of the Carolina Beach Music Award (CAMMY Award) Shad Alberty award 4 times.

Beyond competing, Michael and his wife LeAnn are the current Event Directors for the USA Grand National Dance Championship, featuring swing and shag. He is a Certified US Open Judge and has judged The Open’s swing routine divisions for over 6 years.  He has taught a Carolina Shag elective class at the University of South Carolina for 4 years and has been a volunteer/instructor at the Junior (under 21) SOS event for the past 15 years.