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[3/7/2010 SteppersUSA Daily News]
Real Steppers
By Markie Bee
National Chicago Style Steppers Day
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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!
There are many people who seem to think the steppers community only consists of those people you see at the clubs, sets, and events. The community is so much deeper than the few you see on a regular basis.
Many people who step don't make a regular habit of making it to the club. They don't go out to the weekly class or travel to other cities. Being out in public isn't necessarily what they aim to do. At some point they learned the dance and they do step at private functions and at home. So why do so many people discount them as being part of the steppers community?
If you'll recall, about a year or so ago I recalled a private steppers event I shot photos at I saw a stepper take the floor I hadn't seen before in my previous years as part of the community who

 

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had game like I had never seen before. I never saw him in a contest or in a club but his moves would challenge any of the people we currently call "Heavy Hitters" and "Masters" of the dance.
It didn't matter who he danced with because he made her look good no matter how "good" her skills were. When he did a break away his individual talents were abundantly evident in his footwork and moves but you won't see him at the contest or in the club.
"Real steppers" come in varying levels of skill and participation and every stepper isn't necessarily a "social animal" that has a need to flow with an established group of other steppers.
Why anyone would discount these people as steppers is beyond my understanding. I've heard several times over the years that there are only a hundred steppers or so in several large cities. The truth is the individuals who make statements like that are only counting people in their organizations or those that make it to the events they make it to.
I remember at the after party for last years WLSC an individual was talking to one of Chicago's prominent steppers saying they would love to have a workshop in their city but if one of the instructors in that city got wind of such an event there would be "hell to pay". The person continued there are several hundred people who want to step but are restricted by individuals with this overbearing attitude.
This comes from one of those cities where an individual said there are only about a hundred steppers in the city.
People don't sour on Chicago style stepping the dance but they do tire of uninspired, greedy and overbearing people from within the community. To be for stepping doesn't necessarily mean to jump in with both feet and to follow one individual. Steppers unity means going beyond supporting a particular individual or group. It means to support the dance... the one thing we all have in common. 
 

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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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