Why I Hate StepShows

[PerroLoco]

I hate step shows because:

How can you win a show by doing another organizations steps?

How can you win a show by mocking other orgs as half of your routine?

How can you win a show by posing suggestively if it is against the rules?

Why did the winning organizations use another orgs steps as their "showstopper"?

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Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.
And imitation of the other fraternities' acts is what got the brothers of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. first place in the National Pan-Hellenic Council's second annual Steel City Step Show, held Saturday at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall.

The winning Sigmas were wheeled to the stage on dollies during their performance, wearing straight jackets and masks -- a nod to the movie "The Silence of the Lambs." The four brothers pulled off their bindings and exposed crisp, button-down shirts showing Greek letters.

With dry ice evaporating in the background, the fraternity members warned audience members not to try this at home. Then they began making fun of other fraternities.

They started by mocking Kappa Alpha Psi, an NPHC fraternity that did not perform at the event. They used "Vogue"-like gestures to mimic the Kappas.

The men daintily stepped, bounced their bodies and raised one hand to show the complexity -- or lack thereof -- of the stepping style traditionally used by the Kappas. They brought out canes -- a Kappa calling card -- and danced crazily to "It's Raining Men" as the audience broke in to uproarious laughter.

Their next victim was Omega Psi Phi. A Sigma brother recounted a story of how he happened upon a group "barking like dogs" and practicing for the step show by trying to turn nursery rhymes into chants. The four Sigma brothers stepped and shouted the words to "Patty-cake" and "I'm a Little Tea Pot."

To conclude their performance, the Sigmas got sexual. Lying on the floor, they unbuttoned their shirts to a slow and sensual R&B ballad. Three of the four brothers then ripped off their undershirts and gyrated their hips. The fourth brother ran off stage and then came back on sporting an off-white thermal instead of a buff chest.

"I gotta start working out again," said host Justin Strong, the owner of the Shadow Lounge in East Liberty.

The sorors of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. -- the constitutionally bound sister sorority of the Sigmas -- won first place for the sororities. They were dressed in white shirts under black corsets with blue sequins and wore bowler hats, black pants and heels.

Shoes became problematic as one of the steppers lost a heel of her black boot. She peeled it off and exposed two brown argyle socks as members from the audience yelled, "We don't need shoes to step!" and, "OK, no-shoes soror!"

The four sorors were joined onstage at the conclusion of the performance by a child dressed as an Omega Psi Phi in a purple shirt, army pants and gold boots.

Second place for the fraternities and the sororities went to the brother/sister organizations Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

The sorors of AKA were the first group to step. The "sophistAKAted ladies" chanted enthusiastically and proclaimed their status as the first black sorority. Members in the audience yelled, "Skee wee" -- the sorority's unique call.

The Alphas spoofed the MTV show "Making the Band." The five brothers chosen to step dressed in jeans, white T-shirts, bowler hats and suit jackets, and performed a medley of Michael-Jackson-and-family hits, including "ABC, 123," "Thriller" and "Billie Jean."

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. began their performance with a tongue-in-cheek airline safety demonstration complete with oxygen masks, safety belts and gestures toward the emergency exits.

The six sorors performed an "in-flight movie" wearing black outfits with red sequined cuffs and collars and red ruby slippers that left the stage covered in glitter.

Omega Psi Phi was the last organization to perform, beginning their performance with a video clip from "Roots." The Omegas came on stage shackled together wearing purple prisoner uniforms and gold boots. After removing their symbolic fetters, the five brothers chanted, sang and stepped.

The auditorium went dark, and the Omegas revealed white T -shirts with glow-in-the-dark gold "Qs" -- what members call the Omega symbol.

After the lights went up, the Omegas requested the audience to rise for "our national anthem" as a tribute for the brothers and sisters overseas. Instead of hearing any sort of patriotic ditty, a rap song played as the brothers bounded offstage.

Six judges, representing each stepping organization, evaluated the acts on their introduction, crowd interaction, complexity and creativity, as well as enthusiasm, clarity and synchronization. Assorted snaps, claps, slaps and steps from every organization filled the stage in an impromptu finale as judges tallied the scores.

In the end, the blue and white organizations of Zeta Phi Beta and Phi Beta Sigma took home trophies and a $1,000 prize.

"I'm so tired, and now I have energy," said Phi Beta Sigma performer and step show co-chair Demetrius Tucker. "I'm like the Energizer bunny."

Greek adviser Chris Meaner said he thought the show was very entertaining.

"By far [it was] one of the best shows I've seen put on by the University of Pittsburgh," he said.

[laidbackfella]

Did you see the show?

[PerroLoco]

Originally posted by laidbackfella
Did you see the show?

Yes, I was there and it took all there was in me not to rush the stage. Younger Bruhs seemed resigned to these indignities but I am ready to swear off of attndance.

I hate theft of ideals and styles. Imitation is not flattery, its thievery.

[kddani]

Originally posted by PerroLoco
Yes, I was there and it took all there was in me not to rush the stage. Younger Bruhs seemed resigned to these indignities but I am ready to swear off of attndance.

I hate theft of ideals and styles. Imitation is not flattery, its thievery.

Even though i'm not as familiar with step shows and all that goes into them and what's appropriate, I am a Pitt alumna and also a current law student there. I read that article in the Pitt News and was wondering if all that imitation was appropriate. Interesting to see a reaction to it here.

[laidbackfella]

Originally posted by PerroLoco
Yes, I was there and it took all there was in me not to rush the stage. Younger Bruhs seemed resigned to these indignities but I am ready to swear off of attndance.

I hate theft of ideals and styles. Imitation is not flattery, its thievery.

Did they do their any of their own steps?

And when they mocked other groups did they do the steps sloppy?

[Little32]

This is a little tangential, but I too an not a big fan of step shows. Not for the same reason listed above though. I was a show recently where there was some much hating going on in the audience, that it almost ruined my good time. Particularly, one group of women in one organization had postively violent reactions everytime the women of another organzation did their call. I don't understand all of the hating--perhaps because I am on the outside looking in. But I am not trying to be in a place where there is so much negativity.

[PerroLoco]

Originally posted by laidbackfella
Did they do their any of their own steps?

And when they mocked other groups did they do the steps sloppy?

1) Yes they did, but only a couple. A lot of filler and mocking and posing.

2) The Sigmas yes, the Zetas no. The Zetas were very good

However good or bad, it should not count in a COMPETITION.

[PerroLoco]

Originally posted by kddani
Even though i'm not as familiar with step shows and all that goes into them and what's appropriate, I am a Pitt alumna and also a current law student there. I read that article in the Pitt News and was wondering if all that imitation was appropriate. Interesting to see a reaction to it here.

Imitation is fine, but not in a competiton. A Homecoming Show, a Yard Show or your own where originality is not a prerequisite. You shouldn't be other peoples steps anyway (not even in tribute whatever the heck that is)

[laidbackfella]

Originally posted by PerroLoco
1) Yes they did, but only a couple. A lot of filler and mocking and posing.

2) The Sigmas yes, the Zetas no. The Zetas were very good

However good or bad, it should not count in a COMPETITION.

That's a shame then.

Based on the criteria used by the judges.

Originally posted by PerroLoco
introduction, crowd interaction, complexity and creativity, as well as enthusiasm, clarity and synchronization

I can see how everyone else got shafted.

I wonder if any stepshows use a policy of throwing out or exempting the scores entered by judges who also happen to be members of that same organization.

[ladygreek]

Originally posted by laidbackfella

I wonder if any stepshows use a policy of throwing out or exempting the scores entered by judges who also happen to be members of that same organization.

Hmmmm, when I have judged step shows I am always hardest on my sorority.

[laidbackfella]

Originally posted by ladygreek
Hmmmm, when I have judged step shows I am always hardest on my sorority.

That's my sentiment too.

If Da Bruhs are gonna do anyone else step it needs to be perfect.

I get so tired of seeing people jumping around and they think that they are hopping.

Mockin any group needs to be an automatic deduction, in my opinion.

Tribute steps should count off as well.

Do your OWN show.

ladygreek, what do you think of those categories?

[skeeliteful]

I'm very reluctant to judge another stepshow due to the mockery and tribute steps that seem to have infiltrated routines. I just turned down a request to judge a show because crowd participation/enthusiasm was 35% of the score while creativity and synchronization were only 20%

I agree with Sistergreek LadyGreek...I hold all greeks to a high standard but expect my Sorors to raise the bar.

[laidbackfella]

Originally posted by skeeliteful
crowd participation/enthusiasm was 35% of the score while creativity and synchronization were only 20%

Now that's crazy.

[PerroLoco]

Originally posted by skeeliteful
I'm very reluctant to judge another stepshow due to the mockery and tribute steps that seem to have infiltrated routines. I just turned down a request to judge a show because crowd participation/enthusiasm was 35% of the score while creativity and synchronization were only 20%

That is insane. That is why routines are so bastardized now. That is why teams just throw on the crunkest tunes, do the latest dance, and be sexually suggestive. All superficial to true stepping. Audiences have become jaded because they focus on the sizzle and not the substance. The judges are swayed by the audience response and voila, you have a winner who has done nothing but posture.

LAIDBACK: I have never seen Bruhs do another orgs step except to mock them and that is only in snippetts. These orgs not only did a complete step, but it made up the bulk of their "audience reaction" routine.

SkeeLiteful: I am with you. I am hardest on my own org and I could not judge a show to save my life.

[ladygreek]

Originally posted by ladygreek
Hmmmm, when I have judged step shows I am always hardest on my sorority.

I do not like tribute steps (usually sorority to fraternity) and I do not like mocking steps (frat to frat, or sorority to sorority.) I do grade down on those. I like creativity but in the context of synchronization and difficulty of routine. I have graded pure stepping with little or no props higher than smoke and flash many times.