Step Dancing

A step is a collection of rhythms made by using the hands and feet, and occasionally props. Responding to chants or calls, a team stomps their feet or claps hands to a base beat along with moving into different formations.

Step dancing has a rich history.
Stepping has its beginnings in the early African American slave community as a means of communication and keeping hold of traditional aspects of their denied culture. It served mainly as a link back to African tribal dance, which in many areas was prohibited. Call-and-response folk songs helped the slaves to survive culturally and to spread word about important matters, such as the Underground Railroad. Several generations later, Black World War II veterans added in a military march theme to the sounds, while Motown grooves and Hip-Hop energy added more entertainment and increased the appeal of the art form.

In the late 1960s, historically Black fraternities and sororities began embracing stepping at college campuses. Previously using step shows as a rite of passage for pledges, the Black Greek letter system has a strong role in the college step scene. There are often specific steps to each chapter and sometimes the groups playfully mock each other's styles during competitions and benefits - originally derived from the African Welly boot dance.

Stepping always involves clapping and stomping, sometimes done at the same time. There are many well known stepping dances such as the James Brown, Stomp The Yard, and most commonly, The Tok.
Stepping has been popularized by National Pan-Hellenic Council member organizations who perform at local and national competitions. It is featured in films and shows such as School Daze (1988) Drumline (2002) Stomp the Yard (2007) and the TV series A Different World.