BETs Step Show
 

National Greek Network, Inc. and Greekfest.com proudly support a
televised Step Off competition on BET's 106 and Park. The "Step Off"
will be a step competition spanning over a two-week period. The "Step
Off" will be a competition btween the "Divine Nine" Historically
Black Greek Fraternal Organizations in the National Pan-Hellenic
Council. This event presents an opportunity for all organizations to
come together as a united force and inform the young viewers about
the positivity associated with being a member of lifelong
historically black fraternal organization. The purpose of the "Step
Off" is to promote awareness about historically black organizations
to the black youth and to also celebrate the art of stepping. Each
organization will have 1 minute to perform on stage. There will be no
music used during the performances. Traditional Stepping and Vocals
only. Props may be used.
Round 1 will be voted on BET.com by our viewers. The final rounds
will be boted on Apollo style by our audience members. The air dates
for the event are: Round 1 April 29-May 3 and finals rounds May 8-9.
All shows will air 6-7:30 EST. Please see schedule below for tape
dates:

Preliminary Competition (Fraternities):
Iota Phi Theta vs. Phi Beta Sigma
Tape Date: 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 24
Air Date: Monday, April 29

Week 1:
Round 1: Competition 1 (Fraternites)
Alpha Phi Alpha vs. Kappa Alpha Psi
Tape Date: 1 p.m. Monday, April 29
Air Date: Tuesday, April 30

Round 1: Compitition 2 (Sororities)
Alpha Kappa Alpha vs. Delta Sigma Theta
Tape Date: 6 p.m. Monday, April 29
Air Date: Wednesday May 1

Round 1 Compitition 3 (Fraternities)
Omega Psi Phi vs. winner of preliminary round
Tape Date: 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 30
Air Date: Thursday, May 2

Round 1 Competition 4 (Sororities)
Zeta Phi Beta vs. Sigma Gamma Rho
Tape Date: 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 30
Air Date: Friday, May 3

Finals Round Competition 1 (Sororites)
Winner from Competition 2 vs. Winner from Competition 4
Tape Date: 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 7
Air Date: Wednesday, May 8

Finals Round Competition 1 (Fraternities)
Winner from Cometition 1 vs. Winner from Competition 3
Tape Date: 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 7
Air Date: Thursday, May 9

The 1st place winners of this televised event will be given the
opportunity to advance to the The Big East Regional Stepshow
Tournament Championship, produced by National Greek Network, Inc. and
Greekfest.com, which is scheduled to take place throughout the Jones
Beach Greekfest Weekend (June 28-30). Visit www.Greekfest.com for all
the details.

This is going to be good. I can't wait to see it

So, does this mean that the NPHC is no longer boycotting BET?

Riiiiiight
 

There's the million dollar question right there.

I have no desire to see this. Why? Tell me what you can do in one minute? People get disqualified for going over FIFTEEN minute time limits. A minute. Please. I wonder how many minutes will be spent on promoting the awareness of our orgs? I personally am getting a little tired of always being represented on TV as steppers. Then we wonder why that's all people think we do. Then get mad when people pledge for the wrong reasons. But we breed that very behavior when we support stuff like this. We're being exploited, and I really hate that. Can someone JUST ONCE have us on TV and we NOT step? Just once? Can we be interviewed about the work that we do in the community WITHOUT stepping afterwards? Just one time, just one. I'm not sayin I don't attend step shows, but I know what we are about. We need to try and convey some better messages. I guess I shouldn't knock the show til it airs, but whatever. :rolleyes: I am being a cynical binch today. I'm tired, and I do not want to go to work. Shoot. Can a sista get a holiday? I can't stand teachers!!!! Oops, was that professionist? ;)

Re: Riiiiiight
 

:rolleyes: :mad: :confused:

**eating some Fruit Loops and chiiiiiiiiilling like a villain**:cool: :D :p

**singing** NANNY NANNY BOO BOO:p :p

Re: Riiiiiight
 

I'm of a similar mind, perhaps because I became a Soror at a rather advanced age. Stepping is fun to watch -- I would not participate because I have no sense of rhythm and timing.:D :p

IMO, television may show images of stepping and partying because face it, it's not a deep, intellectual medium. I sort of liken this situation to TV news. You rarely see complex stories on TV news, instead you see car crashes and violent isht. :rolleyes:

Speaking in terms of our organizations, community service perhaps is too deep for lazy electronic media producers and reporters to do a real package on and transmit it on the air. I'm with you, Soror Ideal -- it would be nice to see electronic media convey better messages about NPHC groups.

LMAO.

Didn't Bob Johnson say that BET is Black ENTERTAINMENT Televison, NOT Black EDUCATION OR ENLIGHTENMENT Telelvison...

So, all you are going to see is a STEP.

Funny thing is that when anyone questions if this has been approved by the National orgs no National org says anything.......I am somewhat tired of seeing us step on TV but that is what the people want to see. Do you really think High School and Jr High School students relate Greeks to community service - no they relate them to stepping.........To a lot of them stepping is all that we do and all that interest them. Why is it SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO STEP ON BET anyway! I don't know why this is such a stress........if we dont step it is not the end of the world. But the way people argue you make it seem like that our survival is dependant on being on these shows.

Sphinxpoet

And?
 

So what if that's what people want to see? :rolleyes: People also like to see Black people make fools of themselves. Should we agree to that, too? I'm not knockin' BET for doing their job: exploiting us to their benefit. I have a problem with our orgs giving in to the exploitation. That's my issue. How many of us have EDUCATION on our national agendas? But yet, we will get on TV and PERFORM for a network that has said it's NOT FOR EDUCATION. It just doesn't make any sense.

2d, you are right. In a minute, all you have time for is a step!! LOL

Does anyone know what chapters of the orgs will be featured on BET. I think that stepshows are a major source of revenue for some chapters who are good enough to win the shows. As a side note, I have a little sister who is in a high school org. and they had a stepshow earlier this week where they had over 16 different orgs step. My little sister's org won the show and won $750.00:eek: I couldn't believe the amount of people that were there and the amount of money that was given away (over $2000). Most of the kids that stepped probably are not going to attend college or become a part of any HBGLO. So I wonder if the only message that is being sent to our community about the HBGLO's is that we step, .....and have jackets (You would not believe the 'nalia these children had on!!!!!). Is this happening all over the country, or just in the South (I'm in Memphis)?
Blackwatch!!!

So what in the world are they going to use the money for if they have no apsirations for college?

The cycle of poverty and ignorance continues, I guess.... :(

I know that my little sister's group is always using the money to rent out penthouse suits at the marriot to have sleep overs, rentin' stretch navigators to cruise around town in, and buyin' all sorts of 'nalia for step shows and parties. It is sad because for years I've been telling her to make the org. something positive for the members (like using the money to help the seniors in the org. with college app. fees and such), not just a clique of girls. I think there is great potential in an org. such as this, but what happens is that they spring up and attract so many aspirants (my little sis. is the pres. and she says that they have 71 girls at 5 different high schools in the city and they "cross" about 30 girls a year...and they do have above ground "pledging" so to speak, the girls walk around the school for a week wearing bunny ears and tails, it is like out of "school Daze" or something, just wild) and become this "frankenstein" type of entity. Without direction, the potential gets wasted. She has an "advisor" who is a teacher at the school who is an AKA, but they only listen to her when it comes to protecting them against being ripped off by step show promoters and putting together steps for the shows themselves( and I do not think the advisor wants to do much more than that anyway). So we have this quandery about these groups, at least they are not gangs per se, but I think that the image of college life in general and HBGLO's specifically is suffering because of these orgs. What do you guys think?
blackwatch!!!!!

We never had those groups at my high school (too many white folks, I guess), but I'm sure anybody from Houston can attest that they are pretty much everywhere.

Preps, Mademoiselles, Esquires, Gents, Ladies of Distinction.... I'm sure I'm missing some but I'm not that familiar with them. Why do I even know the ones that I do? BECAUSE THEY COME TO COLLEGE STEPSHOWS AND TEAR IT UP. Y'all, some of these HS boys put college fraternities to shame when it comes to stepping. I don't know what they do as far as work in the community or anything like that, so I don't want to make assumptions. But what I do know is that a whole lot of them have aspirations to go on to college - I know a lot of people on my campus who used to be Gents, Esquires, etc. so I know that a large number of them are education-minded. And yeah, pledging is very much above ground. It's just a weird phenomenon to me since we never had anything like it. The joys of a white school, I guess. :rolleyes:

That is what I want to know. If there is a boycott of BET, how did this get approved by the various organizations?:confused:

just wanted to bring this to the top, b/c it begins today.

Ok...I didn't listen
 

:eek: Ideal08 had already stated the obvious BUT like the person who has to slow down to see the accident...I turned it on. Was that really a full minute?

high school step teams
 

I recently went to my little cousin's high school step show and I was blown!! Some of these high school teams even have greek names :eek: There was definitely nothing like this when I was in high school. Unfortunately these kids enter college with the same mentality when they want to go greek; that is all about pledging and stepping :(. I don't think that BET or most show on TV will show them anything deeper than that.

Re: Ok...I didn't listen
 

Oh, naw, tell me it wasn't SHORTER than a minute?! :eek: lawd

Re: high school step teams
 

HC when I was in hs, they had a group call JAKA & JDST. You know what it stands for. I mean these girls were trying to pledge people in and all that stuff. One of them had the nerve to wear AKA apparel. They were strolling at parties stepping like they had official letters. They had brawls with JDST. It was a mess. Anyway it didn't last long because they got CHECKED. By my teachers who were AKA and DST. Yeah in HS they think greek means parties steppin and strollin:rolleyes:



NOW BACK TO THE SUBJECT

errrrrrrrrr uhhhhhhhh....
 

:confused:

who or what "body" determines what "team" will represent the organization?

:confused:

Re: errrrrrrrrr uhhhhhhhh....
 

THIS is the question of the day. :eek:

I've seen better Iota teams.. but then again I've seen better Alpha and Kappa teams too. Anybody know how they selected which teams got to participate?? To be completely honest, the Sigmas were the best in my opinion. I've seen them perform a couple of times, and they are always on point.

Now I'm kinda getting nervous about tomorrow - I hope the sororities represent a little better. :)

Prelims
 

The saw the Sigmas step today... White boys can step, too is what they said... I really don't care who can and cannot step, but are we all really representing ourselves in a favorable light here? Or let's call it like it is: A marketing ploy and tool so that N'SYNC and Brittany have more moves that they can do...

Bob Johnson is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

The International HQ's are coming down hard on step show winners and prize money. The idea is to step, win the competition and use the prize money for programs... As we can see, that is not happening for chapters worldwide...

I like step shows. The best one that I saw on TV was the one honoring the Grambling Coach's retirement. I think for many Americans outside of the African American culture, the routines done were cause of excitement... Then I think "others" delved into it deeply and adopted moves done for over 30 years by each respective organization: Vanilla Ice, N'SYNC, etc., etc.

Even a few rap artists incorporated moves by NPHC affiliates. And didn't Chubb Rock Chubb have numerous Fraternities in his video in the late 80's?

At any rate, it just goes to show we are about to lose another art that our ancestors died to develop... Oh well...

Sorors, do you remember? Plus other thoughts...
 

I thought that back in the day, when "we"/ I was an undergraduate that it stated in a UG newsletter that "we" (AKAs) were only to participate in stepshows that AKA sponsored or could participate in non-AKA sponsored show if permission was granted from HQ.

It must have been like Sp. 92 or something...:confused:

That's what I'm saying, Soror . I mean did they even come down south? the west coast? midwest?

Shucks, they could have used the stepshow from the Bayou Classic or ANY BC...lmao, but they would have had to get an Iota team. It would have been more entertaining.

IMHO

AKA MONET

"The saw the Sigmas step today... White boys can step, too is what they said... I really don't
care who can and cannot step, but are we all really representing ourselves in a favorable light
here? Or let's call it like it is: A marketing ploy and tool so that N'SYNC and Brittany have
more moves that they can do... "

I call it sigmas who can step and have nationally beaten quite a few teams with their steps...if brittany or nsync can come to a step show and represent like that, defeating, winning and humiliating other orgs, like ive seen this particular group do on several occastion across the country, bring them on......

how is this not reprenting ourselves in a favorablie light? im not understanding.....please explain.....
if its the fact that there a white guys on stage on BET, wake up, there are white people in all of our orgs, including yours, check out the EBONY issue about white greeks in black fraternities/sororities......
if im mistaken about your intent with this statement please "school" me

I think she means what I meant in my first post. By going on TV and STEPPING, and not giving proper time to what we are REALLY about is not representing ourselves in a favorable light.

Respect...
 

Theo14,

If you saw the Sigma chapter's step on BET, their chant did say: "White boys can step, too."

Realistically, should our organizations be espousing that kind of behavior? So what if other ethnic groups can step or not, just like you sed, IT WAS THE MEMBERS OF PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY, INC. stepping--not ethnic individuals...

Before I am gonna havta take this discussion off my Soror's AKA board and onto that PM, I will ask you exactly what do you mean I need to "wake up"? Have you read any of my posts on other topics to their entirety?

Now, I saw the 1st Fraternity competition between the Alphas and the Kappas. I saw their chapters on their line jackets. The steppers my have been all-star teams, but it still looked like individual chapters were "running" the step team's show... I dunno, but I will ask again with clarity, is this stepping on BET something that we should do for all our organizations on Nationally recognized television in a favorable light, given the kind of chants used and steps/movements made? Should we be "clowning" each other with mutual understanding outside of our traditional environments for mainstream society to see and make illogical conclusions? Just asking...

Today, my Sorors and the ladies of DST will be competing against each other. Hopefully, unilaterally, our organizations will maintain the utmost respectability for the "Art of Stepping" along with legacy and history...

Re: high school step teams
 

That's not always the case with HS teams. One of my soRHOrs is the step team coach for a team, but she decided to take it further than just stepping. This co-ed team has been completing community service since their inception over a year ago as well as practicing twice a week. She did not grant them the privelege of letters for their names until 2 months ago. Honestly, the Greek letters for kids is a little deep sometimes because I have seen some kids act like little sororities and fraternities. I've even seen kids with "line numbers" :confused: and names of the line.

As far as the BET Step Off, it's almost silly b/c what can you see in a minute. I'm sure the Unknown Sigma Step Team tore it up because the three who represented when I saw them 2 years ago were ridiculously on point. The Alphas ripped it yesterday, but ONE SKINNY MINUTE..? I'll give BET a slight piece of credit because I saw a representative from Alpha and KAPsi give a brief blurb about the organizations. They could have done more, but somebody already said that the "E" in BET is not for enlightenment, education, or even edutainment. It's strictly entertainment... and I barely call it that.

OHHHH...Okay.....AKA MONET

I get you....I think I misunderstood the intent of your statements....thanks for clearing that up.......

:eek: Man!
I have been sitting here forever waiting for the first round of the sorority step-off. I am trying to put all the step performances on one tape. I rarely get a chance to see any organizations step so I want to try and get it all on one tape. I rarely watch BET so I didn't know that show itself would be so long and the actual step off portion would be shortened from what you usually see on stage. Well I will just have to wait til I go to the beach this summer to see a step show.
Blessed be to all,
Hipshimmy

SW to the sorors who represented Lambda Chapter.

I guess "we" aren't boycotting BET anymore since Soror Ade'Leaka (Directorate member) introduced the sorors.

:confused:

:confused:
The Sigmas are stepping against the Omegas...how, I mean, will the Kappas and Alphas and Iotas get a chance to step again, too?

Exploited
 

Yes we are being exploited ....AGAIN!

I didn't see the step show, but I did go to the BET website and look at the comments written there. Now, I'm not upset by the comments by the GDI's (because all they see are colors and stepping and don't know diddly about our organizations)......I'm moreso upset/moved by the comments by my fellow Greeks. Dissing/Disrepecting other organizations and etc. And we wonder why some people don't want to be part of our organizations....look how we act. Don't we all realize that we are part of Comunity Service Organizations...we all stand for the same thing....the only thing that really separates us all is our colors, rituals and perception to outsiders.

I thought I was going to scream reading all those posts by other Greeks saying that...the AKA's thought they were too pretty to step and they had on dresses; the Delta's step like men or they think they are Ques; What is an Iota; The Zeta's step like men; the Ques don't step..they stomp and etc.

I wish my older Greeks would school their younger frats/sorors. I know I do. I do not believe in putting down another organization and I try to correct my friends (in all organizations) that do. And yes, its done in fun...but sometimes it is not funny! A 'yo momma/daddy/sister' joke is funny at times, but at the wrong time to the wrong person in the wrong place under the wrong circumstances...its not!

What would our Founders think of our behavior? Competition is good, but disrespecting/name calling/not speaking to someone just because she has XYZ on/and etc. is not. It's all crazy! Maybe the big 3-0- is taking its toll on me...hopefully, most of us will grow out of this and realize the skin we are in counts for a lot this world, not the three letters on our shirts -- and we are all Black (for the most part). Until then, I hope and pray each night....that I never acted like that as an undergrad/young sister in the bond!

Greek Love!

Re: Exploited
 

Well spoken, Soror Happydays, well spoken.


To the DIVINE NINE:

~We must never forget that we were all founded with the same goal in mind, we just took on different objectives of it.~

wtf?
 

This is a quote from yall know who...

who or what "body" determines what "team" will represent the organization?

I agree.

I also wanna know who's handlin' the money, and who determined where it's goin'.

Villian
 

People,
Really now when this show was plugged as a stepoff how much did we really expect to hear about our organizations? When people only see us stepping that is what they will associate with. Most young people totally ignore what the representatives were saying because all they wanted to see was stepping. Can we be mad at our fellow Greeks? No not really because in today NPHC life we place a high emphasis on stepping to the point where we measure the success of our organization and chapters by how well we step! Other things we place importance on is who is cutest. I am always curious if we are so "popular" how come we can't get as many people to come do community service projects for us as they do for our stepshows? How many people would honestly be Greek if it was not for the strolling, stepping and the popularity in other word Power, props and that other thing (PPP-depending if you are a woman or man). Perfect example, when it comes to a stepshow how may bros or sorors of yours you see there but if you invite them to a community service project or chapter meeting they do not have time. Yet some of these own people are on these stepteams. This is only a reflection of what we have given emphasis for. I know I know I am gonna come out looking like the bad guy but that is what I feel.

Sphinxpoet
Mad Love to DC Coalition for Holding up the Light
Mad Love to Lambda Chapter for being classy while stepping.
Mad Love to the Deltas that stepped
I have mad love for all those teams that do the work of thier orgs if I did not mention you here I know you are doing the work so love back!
(The reason I give them mad love cause I see them working hard out here in the community more than I see them socializing)

06-08

The Millions and Millions

Re: Villian
 

Unfortunately, the issues you have extend to other social and/or service organizations in this world. So the question then becomes, what do we do about it?? We being those of us who are about the business of our organizations.


There was something else that troubled me. I did watch a few minutes of the stepshow and afterwards PREDATOR...OOPS I MEAN A.J. made a FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH COMMENT. He said, "I know there are going to be a lot of people wanting to join a sorority after this." Did anyone else catch that? If so, what are your thoughts? I was offended because 'STEPPING' is not why the D9 organizations were created. How do you, ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha deal with such a stereotypical comment. How do any of you who are members of fraternities or sororities address a comment like that. For those of us who are prospective members, when it is our time, what should we do?


Lastly, what is the NPHC's stance on the BET boycott?? I will be researching while I wait to hopefully get a response.

Think About it!!!
 

Does anyone get suspicious of this whole "stepoff" comming about right when the NPHC threatens a boycott of BET? Think about it, the NPHC for months was gathering steam and telling people that BET was pretty much brushing them off, then all of the sudden, the D9 presidents do a conference call and just like that the boycott just "poof" goes away without so much as a settlement plan or apology from BET? Then soon after, BET decides to throw a "stepoff" when black folks been steppin for years and BET has ignored them? Even at Black College Spring Break ("Spring Bling" in Daytona), they fail to recognize the D9. MTV telecasts a stepshow about 5 years ago, and BET didn't think to try to showcase "steppin'" more. Then to top it all off, the AJ comment about people would really want to join sororities after watching the sisters step. HMMM, sounds like somebody was thrown a bone. What do you guys think?
Blackwatch!!!!!!
P.S. Can anyone believe the Nappy Roots met in College? The quality of higher education for black people seems to be on the decline :confused:

SEARCH
 

darling1,

we have a thread specific to the NPHC boycott of BET...

So...You don't like how they did it?...
 

Then when was the last time any of you watched a video on BET? If you know they are exploiting us, why support them by watching their videos?

Re: SEARCH
 

i did do a search. thanks.

Re: So...You don't like how they did it?...
 

If you do not like what BET or a radio station is doing, turn it off. Parents, please encourage your kids to read a book or the newspaper. ;)

That is one of the beauties of adulthood -- you have the judgment, it's hoped, to make informed decisions. People must start taking responsibility when it comes to media choice issues.

I don't watch BET much, because my musical tastes today run toward mainstream jazz, not hip-hop, rap, or R&B. Even BET on Jazz plays too much of this so-called "smooth jazz," which has no improvisation at all.