[11/13/2009 SteppersUSA Daily News]
With Your Own Steps
By Markie Bee
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Today's Steppers Beat Column is sponsored by: Friday Night Steppin' brought to you by the Club Dyamonds Diva's and DP at Club Dyamonds at 19755 S. Torrence Ave. Lynwood, IL.
The other day I got an email from the steppers history project site that was more of an editorial statement than something that I felt was appropriate for that site. The information in the comment is worth sharing and I feel this column is the right forum for the discussion that will ensue.
Here's what was sent: "as you look around the country they make steppin a hustle. But steppin is a way of life you're out there to out dance the other steppers with your own steps. People need to learn the history of the step. Today people are husslin not steppin.
Old stepper from 5100 State St."
All too often people get the "hustle" of the world of promotion mixed in with the world of Chicago style stepping crossed. Yes, in a way we are all promoters in a sense as the dance is so new to so many people nationwide as they see steppers on the floor.
As the promoters do their thing and stepping spreads far and wide, it becomes increasingly important that all of the new steppers get their collective "weight up" on the history of the dance. I've mentioned many times in the last months how an understanding of the history of the dance would have made a major difference in the perceptions
 
 

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of how the WLSC was supposed to have been judged, and why the rules were the way they were.
Equally important is that those who know the history of the dance share that information with the rest of the world. If they leave it to just word of mouth, as time goes on it will be lost in the translation. It needs to be recorded or transcribed as personal recollections.
To truly understand the nuances of the dance creates an appreciation which never before could have been reached. There's a saying that (paraphrased) says; never go into a battle of wits unarmed. The art of promotion is a battle of wits and any promoter who doesn't come to the battle at hand with the power of knowledge of the history of stepping will surely end up loosing in the end.
Without that good foundation which an understanding of steppers history provides, a stepper can never get beyond what most are calling "intermediate" dancers. The most important piece of information in the message are four words… "With your own steps."
The basic patterns combined with the modern count methods are building blocks to assist the modern stepper in pursuit of their own steps. Someone once said "you've got to be great at your basics before you can be great in this dance." Watch any of today's "heavy hitters" and you'll see they know their basics. If you listen to them, they will prove they know the history (many have lived the history) of the dance.
There will always be some people who are in it just for the hustle, we knew that already. We just need to expose them when they come around. They'll be a lot easier for us to see as we learn our history.
 

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