<---1/23/2010 Issue            Quick Article Navigation            1/25/2010 Issue--->

[1/24/2010 SteppersUSA Daily News]
Video Time!
By Markie Bee
Send The Best Stepping Photos: BestPhotos@steppersusa.com
To send a plugger or Flyer Click Here
Contact Markie Bee: webmaster@steppersusa.com
Today's Steppers Beat column is sponsored by: Steppers West Associates "A Memorial Day Weekend Jam" starting May 28, 2010 through May 31, 2010 at The Plaza Hotel and Casino One Main St., in Las Vegas, NV, 89101. They are offering a 4 Day Package Deal for $80!
I alluded to it in the latest video I posted to Facebook over the weekend. It's been a real multimedia week this past week for the Chicago style steppers community. I started the week by posting the video with Eric and Sunshine stepping at Adrianna's. Then over the weekend I got and posted the D-Millz Music CD sampler video… then the Cynthia and Roger from Philly practicing in the kitchen You Tube videos and after that there were the two videos I had to edit to make shorter or "clean-Up" and then posted to Facebook.
The first short clip is from a Hampton Roads VA TV show. It's almost like an infomercial for stepping when you listen to it! It's a great video and a must watch! The original was a political discussion segment of the program that went on and on so I cut it to the part we would be interested in…
 

More Below

Continued


The steppers!
The second clip I had to edit was the commercial for the "Step in To the Light" stage play. I got rid of the annoying color bar and tone at the start. You may say people post Chicago style steppers videos all of the time, well that’s not necessarily true in the strictest sense of the term.
There's a world of difference between a clip posted from a cell phone camera and one like the video posted by the TV show from Hampton Roads. That segment was professionally produced and the voice work was in a word… Fantastic! The interview clips captured the people's excitement about the dance without rambling on and on. The only part I wish was better was the scenes of people dancing (wide shots) (because steppers just have to dance in the dark) made the view of people dancing mostly unintelligible.
The clip from the "Step in To the Light" stage play was a nice little piece but the only thing I saw missing was the fact there was no address for the church in the ad. Everyone doesn't know where the church is located and when you put something on the web it goes worldwide. I chalk it up to what I like to call "localism"… people in the neighborhood may know where the local church is but if you're advertising to a wide audience you can't assume everyone else does.
As a matter of fact in her last newsletter, my collaborator Cynthia Bean made mention of this fact when she talks about flyers that we both get that don't have full information.
To be blunt, a video doesn't have to be a 10 minute long display of your dancing skills to display your love for the dance. You're better off creating a short snippet here and there with the information about your event passed on with short testimonials edited in between the dance segments.
Think about it… when you get a flyer you look at it for a few seconds to get the info and then you decide if you want more information. Radio and television commercials generally last for 30 seconds to a minute. Give them all of the "eye candy" of the dance and give them the feel of excitement you have for the dance then give them the basic information to find expanded information like a web site or a phone number.
It's good to see more videos hit You Tube after the lull after the WLSC… Now we have to make every second we record count. 
If you haven't seen the official International Steppers Association (ISA) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document from Tim Wilson who is the point man in this initiative. For your convenience I created a page on the site in proper FAQ format as well as a link to the original PDF file for you to download.
In the document there are 18 questions and answers to questions like: What is the International Steppers Association? Why are we aligned with the World Dance Council or World Swing Dance Council? Who are the members of the ISA? Why (and how) should I join? What does the initial membership pay for? As well as the one I personally consider to be the most important... Why organize stepping now?
They touch on important issues like insurance and standardized terminology as well as children's programs.
They are also initiating a weekly conference call every Sunday evening so if you would like to participate please call 218-862-1000 Access Code: 307375# at 7pm Eastern Standard Time. I intend to dial in for the first one since I don't have to work this Sunday, but after that I guess I'll have to rely on the recorded version since I'm usually working at that time on Sundays.
I don't have any new information on the $100,000 Steppers Challenge at this time. There are many pieces to put together and hopefully someone is doing something in your city to meet this challenge to donate $100 from steppers organizations in your city to the International Red Cross for Haitian earthquake relief.
Oh yea, If you look below, you will see my latest video with Eric and Sunshine.

 

If you can click the ads under this logo you can make money too!
Try It!

https://joini5.com/steppersusa

 

---

 
Have something on your mind? Need to talk to Markie Bee? With Google voice (A REAL phone number) you can call me directly (from the United States only please) For FREE. If I'm available, I'll call you right back.

If you would like to join SteppersUSA in Twitter or just to check it out, you'll see the twitter bird just below our logo. Just click on the twitter bird and it will bring you right to the SteppersUSA page on Twitter.  Watch the bar or follow SteppersUSA by clicking here.

How To Add a Comment on the Bar Tutorial
 

 Tags

Video Time!   

Steppers History

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.

Steppers Community Definition Added
Cross Reference Word Index Added
Multiple Definitions Added Definitions Page
2006 3-G's Contest results added Timeline Updated
Steppers Compete 2003 Timeline Updated
The Dungeon in Chicago in the 1970's See the Personal Recollections Page

Steppers Special Events Details

Terms of Service and Privacy