On Saturday’s sunny afternoon, a packed house in the EMU Ballroom watched with excitement at the intricate display of step dancing brought to the University by four different schools from around the country. Zeta Phi Beta sorority has put on step shows at different schools around America, and this year the University hosted the 9th annual step show.
University freshman and business major Jilian Tuttle attended the event.
“Before going to the performance I really was unaware of what step was,” said Tuttle. “I wanted to go to the show because I was curious about how the dance originated and how it has evolved since then.”
Step dancing, which evolved from the traditional African “Gum Boot” dance, is characterized by complex, synchronized percussive dancing, chanting and singing, complete with a dramatic storyline to go along with each act. Stepping in the U.S can be traced back to the 1920s when African-American fraternities and sororities would step as a celebration of “crossing over” into their organization. These days, step dancing combines the tradition of the African dance with elements of military drill formation introduced in World War II to create a unique style of dancing popular all over the country.
The event began with performances from two different chapters of Zeta Phi Beta. Each routine was distinctly different from the other and used a variety of costumes, modern music and stepping techniques to make it so. The team from Eastern Washington University wore blue wigs and white overalls as they stepped to popular songs like “Soulja Boy” and “Super Mario Theme.” The University of Portland team set up a dreamlike sequence to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” theme song as each team member dressed as a pirate.
“As a member of a small sorority it was nice to see another small sorority share their culture with us,” said Elaura Rifkin, a freshman business major, when asked about what she thought about the sororities’ performances.
Customary to most long performances, the audience was allotted a short intermission to stretch its legs. Most audience members stayed in their seats, as the performers didn’t bother taking a break from their routines. With modern-day music blasting over the crowd, the fraternities and sororities took turns stepping down the aisle with completely different routines than the ones that they were performing on stage.
“Watching the fraternities and sororities step down the aisle kind of felt like being in the middle of the set of ‘Stomp the Yard,’” said freshman history major Lauren Gould, referring to the 2007 film “Stomp the Yard,” which featured stepping.
Following the intermission, three fraternities from around the country showed off their routines. Oregon State University’s Kappa Alpha Psi set the scene with a scripted drama and slower hip-hop dancing in black pants, berets and suspenders, taking the audience back to the beginnings of U.S. step in the 1920s. Omega Psi Phi of Eastern Washington used absolutely no music and wore military gear to give the audience a flavor of military drill routines. The show ended with Phi Beta Sigma of Tennessee State University. The choreographed routine had lots of fast stomping and clapping, making it a true crowd pleaser.
Three hours after the event began, the audience left the EMU with memories of a unique cultural experience.
“Watching the different groups was very entertaining, and I enjoyed how modern it was,” said Tuttle. “When watching them dance it looked very easy, but I imagine it takes a lot of effort to coordinate the way they did.”