African American fraternities
created step-dancing.
Friendly competition, including dancing and drama performances, has long been a part of Greek fraternal life. Amongst National Pan-Hellenic Council member African American fraternities and sororities like AKA (Alpha Kappa Alpha), APA (Alpha Phi Alpha), DST (Delta Sigma Theta), ZPB (Zeta Phi Beta), PBS (Phi Beta Sigma) and SGR (Sigma Gamma Rho), step contests have evolved into an annual national event with significant sponsors. The Sprite Step Off, for example, is nationally televised and includes $1.5 million in scholarships for the winning teams.
Stepping Mechanics
Stepping, which is also sometimes called step-dancing, is a form of rhythmic dance in which participants use their arms, legs, torsos and entire bodies to create beats. Teams create and perfect step routines that are performed on stage in unison and may also involve vocal elements. Stepping groups may incorporate gymnastics, tap dance, marching, stunts and props like blindfolds and canes during performances.
Stepping History
Stepping is a distinctly African American cultural expression that finds its roots in the style of military order and exhibition drills and African foot dances. African American fraternities and sororities began stepping competitions called "step offs" at HBCUs, or historically black colleges and universities, in the mid-1900s. Fraternities and sororities that are also members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council have brought prominence to stepping by participating in local, regional and national step-off competitions.
Step-Off Structure
The Sprite Step Off competition is the most prominent national stepping competition. Qualifying rounds for the annual competition start in September of the previous year at local college campuses across the nation. Winners move on to regional finals in October and November. Regional winners compete at the national finals in Atlanta each January. The regional and national contests also include performances by local recording artists, hip hop and marching bands, and dance DJs. Teams from college chapters of African American fraternities and sororities compete against each other to be crowned the top fraternity step off team and top sorority step off team in the nation.
Step Off Winners
The winners of Sprite's 2011 Step Off competition were the Sigma chapter of Delta Sigma Theta from Clark Atlanta University on the sorority (women's) side and the Delta Xi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha from Central State University on the fraternity (men's) side. Other Delta Sigma Theta and Alpha Phi Alpha teams took second place, as well. Sprite ignited a controversy in 2010 when it selected a white sorority team from a chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha over three African American sorority teams in the number one spot. Sprite later announced a scoring error and created a tie between Zeta Tau Alpha and the previously second place team.
Tags: African American, African American fraternities, Alpha Alpha, American fraternities, American fraternities sororities, Delta Sigma