Right, but if there were things that you were supposed to look for in judging those things and you had no idea what to look for, then that creates an issue. It is about more than just making sure they don't stumble while performing a triple axle.

Okay, newbie...I love how you are a "nobody" on here, yet you come on with a few posts and tell me I'm stupid. I'd love to know who you are or what you do with yourself. Maybe you should take the advice of your signature. :rolleyes:

I know I'm late and maybe you all have moved on. Forgive me I did read the end and this was the topic but since starting at the beginning it may have changed.

What you are describing is what we Spike Lee calls the Magic Negro syndrome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_negro

We complain about it when we see it on film, but it is actually based on real life. A lot of times you gotta look into the psyche of why somebody does that. Is it that they feel if they teach this, then we will be more accepted by the mainstream? Who knows. At the end of the day the question has to be asked, will said teaching allow them to like me or like my culture and take an interest in my culture?

Who are "THEY"? Do you mean white people; Anglos? FWIW I've heard blacks say take that -ish back to Mexico. Now speaking of cultural modifications, all I can say is welcome to modern life. It happens to all cultures here (which can account for Olive Garden and St. Patrick's Day festivities, among other things) but also worldwide. You can get tamales in China and sushi in Mexico these days (who-da thunk?).

Now for my view on Step-Gate- Personally I think its weird for ZTA to hire a AKA chapter to train them to compete in a step show BUT I believe that it CAN'T exclusively be a D9 thing anymore because of the pop culture mainstreaming of it in recent years. It's in the public domain, pop culture world now. I find it funny that a lot of people are ragging on ZTA when they should be railing against the AKA chapter that taught them the moves in the first place.

Yes, it actually could. If the people of the world closed their culture off to others it would just breed even more misunderstanding and distrust.

I think this point has been made before but this is the first time I've felt like it was well said.

I'm really on the fence about this issue, probably because I'm a Zeta, but still. Not being a member of BGLO, I can't say I understand the origins behind stepping, the unofficial rules, etc. However, since stepping is somewhat of a mainstream thing now, and in this particular competition there were very little rules (it seems that way anyway) and not judged by anyone in a BGLO, ZTA won fairly in terms of the rules set forth. But, I do agree with the statement brought up by another GCer on the ZTA thread that in light of all this discussion surrounding their win this year, they should make every effort to create an original routine and really bring it next year.

ETA: And for the record, I do not agree with Sprite's decision to have AKA share the title with ZTA, especially after so long after the competition concluded. If I were AKA, I'd be upset and not all that vindicated.

Put another way, for some, being black is WHO they are (their blackness defines their personality and character). For others, being black is WHAT they are (it is a physical characteristic that in some respects they can culturally identify themselves with and can connect with, but their overall personality and character encompasses more than just that). I fall in the latter category. I think both has their place in society, and I don't find either inherently better than the other.

Example of the latter: I knew of a brotha who while in college, always strove to achieve and receive what the upper class whites always have: power and prestige. Instead of pledging an NPHC org, he pledged TKE (a fraternity with a lot of very prestigious alumni, including former president Ronald Reagan). He went to an Ivy League college (don't remember which one), networked heavily with the big dogs, and is now working at Goldman Sachs making a hefty salary. But he is also very involved in the Black community, contributing to the UNCF annually (ironic, isn't it?), tutors inner-city kids in his spare time, and helped organize a black health fair, among other things. But yes, being black in America does not entail a mutually exclusive lifestyle. That's all I'm saying.

Mama chimes in
 

First, I did read this entire thread and pledged DST Spring '91 so please don't interrupt, just let Mama get two words in.
I was excited about the step show and MTV coverage because this is the first time since 1992 that D9 organizations were allowed to perform in our letters (please find threads about Stomp the Yard to know a little of our copyright infringement drama). I loved that alumnae chapters scurried to help collegiates score mounting service hours. It was clearly marketed as a D9 event. I even remembered wondering if frats like Sigma Phi Rho and other non D9, predominantly African American orgs would be able to step.
So....
Being around long enough to witness the cultural theft and rendering down of every other African American art form, I knew who'd win the show upon the first pilot. I hoped it wouldn't be so, but some things are formulaic that way.

There was a post about when do other cultures feel flattered. As an American Indian/African American mixedblood, I'll dare speak for all American Indians and say "NEVER". Flatter me by upholding treaty rights, slaying Indian mascots and asking what I am before assuming I speak Spanish. My African ancestors will never be flattered by Taiwanese imported Kente and superficial "Unity" steps or step shows. If NPC orgs want to unify with D9 orgs, pick a corner in South Dallas, South Philly, Harlem, South Central L.A., the or South Side of Chicago (hmm, see a trend) and do the grass root community service we do. Check writing is nice, but a day in a women's shelter goes so much further.

What's to come of all this? Perhaps Sprite and MTV will rethink their profit methods, but judging by The Jersey Shore, that won't happen too soon. I'm sure we can expect UC San Diego's Pi Kappa Alpha dressed up as Bruhs next year, planning on "bringing it". If and when that happens maybe folks will see that a post racial America does not exist.

Those in the mainstream who like to concern themselves with various aspects of non-mainstream culture, and feel the need to respond to it in some way...and yes, a lot of white people fit that bill (but they are not the only ones).

LOL, really? So you're saying that we all need to just accept the way our cultural traditions have been twisted and in some cases obliterated to fit someone else's interests or needs? I guess your Pike bros at UCSD were just welcoming everyone to "modern life" when they promoted the "Compton Cookout" party as a way to "celebrate" Black History Month...

That statement is problematic.

There were plenty of rules, its more a question of how they were followed, and if the judges were aware of and qualified enough to "enforce" the rules. From the Qualifying Round Rules PDF (idk maybe all rules were thrown out for the finals, however)
http://www.spritestepoff.com/rules

Each Team’s performance is scored on the Sprite Step Off 100 point scale which is divided into four (4) different criteria:
Creativity - Performing new and innovative steps and utilizing a creative introduction and exit (23 points)
Show Theme - The overall storyline of the performance (23 points)
Execution - Carrying out precise rhythmic syncopation of beats (31 points) Showmanship - Overall manner of Team’s performance (23 points)

Based on this section alone, ZTA should have received a very low score for creativity, and unless the AKA chapter received HEAVY deductions across the board, loosing all or almost all of the creativity points wouldn't have allowed ZTA to win.

Plenty of BGLOers on her have commented on how un-innovative the theme, costumes, and steps were. The problem lies with the fact that the judges probably didn't know that because they were not qualified enough to assess that.

I think the ZTA women put on an excellent and entertaining performance, but I don't think the rules and judging criteria were followed. Is that their fault, no, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen either.

^^^ I swear this has been said in one of the 324,924,511 Sprite Step Off threads that have popped up.

No one wants to read it, though, because realizing that there COULD have been an error in scoring means reverse racism :rolleyes:

Let's just go ahead and quote this for posterity.

You tell me ...
http://www.spritestepoff.com/

^^^
It has been said, over and over again. I just got so tired of hearing, "there were no rules", "the rules weren't clear', "they followed the rules". The relevant rule in question, as well as the entire set of rules are both now in the thread, so hopefully:rolleyes: we won't have to hear that portion of the argument again.