[10/22/2009 SteppersUSA Daily News]
Make It Yours
By Markie Bee
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Today's Steppers Beat Column is sponsored by: ABCAP Breast Cancer Awareness Gala & Tribute Alhambra Palace 1240 W. Randolph St. Chicago, IL from 5:30pm tonight.
How many times have you heard the term "make the dance yours" in the Chicago style steppers community? For ages I've heard people say it, I've seen it in blogs and on websites. From what I see out on the floor, very few people really understand what the term means. How often can you look at the way an individual dances and you can say to yourself, "this person was that or another instructor's student"? Instructors say they can give their students the tools, but they can't teach them how to take those tools and make something for themselves with the tools. I wonder and I'm amazed when I hear those statements. While it's true you can't improvise for someone else, isn't it true you can teach them different ways to improvise? If that is the case, and if the instructors aren't teaching their students any more than copying their own movements, they aren't really teaching them to be improvisational? Chicago style stepping is an improvisational dance which is rooted in the basic pattern and expanded on when the dancer adds a little something extra like footwork or a body move. While it's fine to copy someone's move and change it to suit your own style it doesn't mean to do the move exactly the same way the person teaching you does the move. The move was adapted for that individual's personal style, body type, environment, and yes, who they dance with regularly. Once you can ADAPT your tools to yourself and your own body type and the environment then and only then can you say the dance is yours. At least that's my take on it. How do you feel about it? Weigh in with the comments please.
In our Chicago style steppers community we have two heavyweights


 

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to mention in October which is national breast cancer awareness month. Monique Salter has the Step & Think Pink BCA organization (www.stepandthinkpink.org) and Ken Bedford has the ABCAP (Anaia’s Breast Cancer Awareness Program) gala for breast cancer awareness in honor of his late wife, Anaia Bedford. (www.abcap.org). Each is a 503c non-profit. Monique is in the middle of planning a Step-A-Thon for next spring (details on the website) and Ken is having his 6th annual breast cancer awareness gala at The Alhambra Palace Restaurant tonight. They graphically illustrate when the cause is as real as breast cancer is being old skool or new skool doesn't matter a bit. Having a common cause is a good thing… No, it's a GREAT thing. Understanding we can make a difference in whatever we do is a great thing. I can say I am happy to be affiliated with both of these dynamic individuals as their webmaster since the inception of their websites. They are examples of positive people doing constructive things inside and out of the steppers community. It's important when we are so critical of everything we see around us. We need more positivity in our community, they deserve your support in their efforts. (Hey! it's tax deductable too)!
Our Chicago Style Stepping Facebook group reached a milestone. We now have over 2030 members in the largest steppers group on Facebook. Be sure to join. The real power is with the people. The more of there are the more powerful we will become. It's time to go to work steppers! We're Steppers 4 Ever!
 

 
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