[9/25/2008 SteppersUSA News]
Don't Look Over Your Shoulder
By Markie Bee
Buy Tickets Best Of Both Worlds Dance Extravaganza
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Here Buy Tickets + Chicago Steppers Convention Info -
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Here New Email Address for Pluggers:pluggers@steppersusa.com Yesterday
was a pretty busy day (Wednesdays usually are) for SteppersUSA as we're
catching up with submissions of pluggers and events. Lana Reid from LA
posted a multi-perspective review of the World's Largest that caught my
eye and made the point that should be smacking Chicago (and
every other city) right in the face. Lana (remember she's from LA)
said, "Detroit: By far, Detroit brought the
heat to the WLSC this year. They dominated the Out of Town Category to
the point they really don’t need to be considered Out of Town and by
right can hold their own on stage with the best of Chicago’s best in
Original 40 and Over or Original New Skool. To the rest of the cities
out there growing Steppin...time to Step ya game up, Detroit putting us
all to shame (smile)". Of course the Steppers in Chicago will
be saying out the sides of their mouths, "We're from the birth place...
We're from the mutha land, can't no one touch us." Don't look over your
shoulder Chicago, bring your game to a new level because despite your
smug declarations, Detroit represented by doing the dance the way you
taught them. The contest is the proof... After all it's the
pinnacle, the top, where the very best battle it out, and if there was
an award for bringing their best to the table, Detroit wins that award.
Now, if other large cities like Atlanta and LA would break out of
their collective shells, the dance will finally be catapulted into the
national level of prominence it's destined to reach sooner rather than
later.
On the length of the contest... The contest isn't going to get smaller
unless Pete makes it smaller. This dance is growing up across the
country and you're right other cities need to emulate two cities now
Chicago and Detroit. Soon it will be time for real regional
championships (making the massive assumption other cities follow
Detroit's example) with a defined bracket structure (like in sports and
established national dance competitions)... Oh, and let the dayum DJ's
pick the music, this is what they do for a living, if you can't
step to any song, you're only fooling yourself. The Old Skoolers
are right, the ability to step to any music defines you as a
stepper. Perhaps a massive traveling road show of stepping
demonstrations (which can be pre-scripted musically and
choreographed like the R. Kelly video was except this would be live)
is in order. Lana also mentioned in another announcement that the Bishop
Don Magic Juan's camp would be at the Stepping to King's Dream 4 event
in January. She went on to say, "As Steppin
grows far beyond Chicago, we must make a special effort to stay in touch
with the history of this dance. It is growing and morphing into
something bigger than most Ol Skoolers in Chicago ever dreamed of and
the new generation has to take the old generation with them and build on
that foundation to survive." It's the truf, that's spelled
T-R-U-F!
Also yesterday, Keith Hubbard, released some rare footage from the 2006
Loose Shoes competition It's on this page, just scroll down to see the
three videos.
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.
SteppersUSA.Com sells Steppin' DVDs from across the Steppers Community.
Click Here to view the listing
or
send us an email
if you would like to include your DVDs on SteppersUSA.Com
The SteppersUSA Daily News and SteppersUSA.Com are both
daily
publications which update continually. We accept and publish Steppers
classes and workshops, Daily events, weekly events, monthly events,
special events, steppers news, requests for information which we can't
answer but our visitors may have an answer to. All of this makes us the
most complete listing of Steppers information available anywhere. Send
your submissions and pluggers or flyers to us at
webmaster@steppersusa.com TODAY!
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.