Jaguar-style stomp show SU tradition
By MARK F. BONNER
Advocate staff writer
Published: Sep 10, 2006
Members of the Southern University fraternity Omega Psi Phi circled the inside of a tent with their sweat-drenched arms flaring, legs wobbling and their necks gyrating — all in unison to the blaring beats of hip-hop music.
While an overcast sky produced a light drizzle, the men concentrated on their performance.
It’s called stompin’ and it was done to celebrate the returning reign of Jaguar football inside A.W. Mumford Stadium, where the team faced the Mississippi Valley State University Delta Devils.
“This is something every fraternity out here does before games,” said 27-year-old Jarrett Landor-Ngemi, who was one of a dozen men dancing for the throngs. “We’re just having fun and as you can see we are excited about the game.”
For those who have never seen it, members of the fraternity describe the dance as a form of line stepping with an aggressive edge.
It’s not violent, but the moves are forceful, brash and funky. At times it can even be comedic as the men grunt while they hop into the air or plant a foot down hard as the heavy beats throb. Everyone shows their personality, but all are together in the movements.
“There is a lot of tradition here,” Landor-Ngemi said. “Not only with the fraternities, but also with African-American dance and rhythm and blues.”
On the sidelines were the ladies. Some seemed impressed as they bobbed their own heads to the groove, while others laughed and giggled as their boyfriends stressed to impress.
Candra Lacey, 25, didn’t have a boyfriend dancing with the “Q Dogs,” but the men made an impression on her.
“These guys are good and I know for a fact it’s all they think about sometimes,” said Lacey, who is a former Southern student and member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. “I think they do it in their sleep.”
Gregory Porter, a 26-year-old graduate student, perched his 2-year-old daughter on his shoulders as he gently grooved to the beats and his dreadlocks flapped in the air.
Even with his little girl, Porter seemed to be leading the pack.
“She likes it,” he said. “And we’re happy the season is finally here.”
Story originally published in The Advocate
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/3880562.html
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