BETs Step Show: Spring Bling '06

[AKA2D '91]

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.

[pretty_girl82]

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

[ClassyLady]

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

[Ideal08]

Originally posted by ClassyLady
So, does this mean that the NPHC is no longer boycotting BET?

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. 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?

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by Ideal08
Can a sista get a holiday? I can't stand teachers!!!! Oops, was that professionist?

**eating some Fruit Loops and chiiiiiiiiilling like a villain**

**singing** NANNY NANNY BOO BOO

[Steeltrap]

Originally posted by Ideal08


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. 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?

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.

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.

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.

[AKA2D '91]

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.

[sphinxpoet]

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

[Ideal08]

Originally posted by sphinxpoet
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.

So what if that's what people want to see? 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

[Blackwatch]

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 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!!!

[straightBOS]

Originally posted by Blackwatch
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 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....

[Blackwatch]

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!!!!!

[SweetestDiva]

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.

[AKAtude]

Originally posted by sphinxpoet
Funny thing is that when anyone questions if this has been approved by the National orgs no National org says anything.......

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

[jetsetter1913]

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