---
title: "Are Chugs a Move or a Basic · Nicholas Tapia"
canonical: "https://dance.nicktapia.com/are-chugs-a-move-or-a-basic/"
tags: "shag, public"
diataxis: "explanation"
author: "@Nicholas Tapia"
---

Library · explanations

# Are Chugs a Move or a Basic

I can see both sides of [shag basic - chugs](https://dance.nicktapia.com/shag-basic-chugs/index.md) being either considered a "move" or a "basic". For me, they are right on the line.

It doesn't help that defining a basic versus a move is a bit of a fuzzy difference as well. A basic is generally a short simple pattern that repeats and is generally seen as common foundational knowledge. There's a bit of gradation here too, where a simple under arm turn could be considered a basic move aka "a basic turn" but is maybe not a "shag basic".

For the chug to be more squarely in the "is a basic" category, work needed on how to teach and do this socially without it being a "big deal".

Maintaining one of the Shag Rhythms and using the chug action to decorate the slows the would make it more of a "basic" and less of a move. Continually doing chugs pushes this more into move territory.

The arm dropping per [Leading and Following Chugs](https://dance.nicktapia.com/leading-and-following-chugs/index.md) makes it less normal to keep one of the standard Shag Rhythms and lends its self to repeating the motion and not doing quick quick, making it move of a move and less of a basic.

## More explanations

-   [Grippy Versus Slick Shoes in Shag](https://dance.nicktapia.com/grippy-versus-slick-shoes-in-shag/index.md)
-   [Shuffle vs Arthur Murray vs Stab](https://dance.nicktapia.com/shuffle-vs-arthur-murray-vs-stab/index.md)
-   [Why I Suggest the Shuffle Basic First](https://dance.nicktapia.com/why-i-suggest-the-shuffle-basic-first/index.md)