[9/23/2008 SteppersUSA News]
Contest Originality
By Markie Bee
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Yesterday
was an extremely busy news day (just like the day after every contest
is) and before I start my regularly scheduled column I want to make sure
a few things are clear... Just between you and I. Every contest I have
ever been to started late. I mentioned that in this column during the
WLSC semi-finals and before that after the Club D'Elegance Contest. It's
a non- issue. Oh and that "controversy about the beginners category" is
also a non-issue. No one has said a word about the amount of time the
previous years winner had been stepping, and after all of the
controversy a few years ago about the "white guy from Milwaukee"
winning, no one mentioned he was in contests prior to the WLSC. Like Joe
Biden said, "Remember kids quips behind your back when you were young?
What do you talk about when you have nothing to say." The fact of the
matter is this contest ran really well and Pete Frazier is a genius. The
contest ran late and all beginners are not virgins, so what! Let's look
at the silver lining in the cloud. ---End of Markie Bee's rant!--
One thing that struck me while on the floor taking the
photos of
the contest (while people in the audience were
making videos with their digital cameras and cell phones) one thing
kept running through my mind... How original is their dance (I don't
multi-task well)? There was one couple in particular that comes to mind
in retrospect with 20/20 hindsight vision. I watched the moves and I saw
Smoke dancing (it wasn't Smoke), I continued to watch and I saw Tykmyn
dancing (it wasn't Tykmyn)... I decided to call this dancer "Toke" (Get
it? Tyk+Smoke=Toke). I actually saw this several times during the
contest, Toke was out there doing Tyk and Smokes moves. I'm sure it's
flattering to these masters of the dance to be mimicked like that, but
what I think Toke doesn't understand is it's fine to learn the moves,
but do something different with the moves! Give them your own signature,
otherwise it's not original, by definition, it's just mimicking someone
else's move and it won't win contests. It's part of bringing your game
to a higher level. We did get original moves in the contest from the
usual innovators, but perhaps the next task for contestants is to try
their hand at some personal choreography so we can be entertained with
some originality. You never know it could net you some loot and a
trophy.
If you or anyone you know has any photos, footage or information about
or from any Steppers contests for the
History of Stepping Project,
I'd love to add it to what we have. It's Your History! OR If you have a personal recollection concerning stepping or if you care to help
with the
in any manner, please
Send us an email.
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Please copy the message below and send it on to as many steppers as
you can please!
This is an open message to ALL steppers. Please share it
with as many people as possible.
As many of you may already know I started a new web
site for the benefit of the greater steppers community. It's called
History of Stepping Project. I wish to encourage you to add your
knowledge to the timeline. If you know anything about stepping, please
share this with the public on this site. We are looking for all
information related to stepping from it's beginnings to the present. The
information literally includes everything from clubs and bars which held
steppers sets and parties to contests and the participants and results,
to when different steppers organizations and classes started, who the
instructors were and are; Musical bands, and artists, DJ's, radio and
television personalities, Movies, videos, and photos… literally
everything stepping.
Creating an accurate historic timeline will go a long
way toward helping the community take the next step in its logical
progression as it continues to grow nationwide and will become a
valuable resource for all in the future.
Your input, your knowledge and your effort have made the dance what it
is today. Don't you feel your place (and your organization's) in the
timeline is well deserved? I do!
Please send an email to your members or readers inviting them to
participate. Place a link on your web site also please. All support is
appreciated!
The effort requires more than just posting the
information. The need for fact checkers, people willing to do some
research exists in this important ongoing project. Just a few minutes a
week can make a difference.