Sprite Step-Off Update: ZTA and AKA to share 1st place

[als463]

Originally Posted by LatinaAlumna

Oh, geez...just STOP! Even after people told you how these "disclaimers" make you look worse, you still keep posting them(?!)



That was me, and I said I encouraged you to read the other threads if you were interested in broadening your perspective (because from your posts it was clear that you didn't have an understanding of why people were upset about this competition and thought it was all about race). I didn't say you should post in them, so I'm not sure why you're even bringing that up. Since you say you read the threads, do you understand what others are saying now?

Who in the hell are you? Nobody ever told me that my "disclaimers" make me look worse, so maybe you should just keep your opinions to yourself. You may not like what I have to say, but I don't really respect much of what you say, either. I know you think you're someone special, but you're not. Maybe if you had something of interest to contribute every now and then, other than bitching about what someone else had to say-then I'd give a damn what you thought.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by als463

Who in the hell are you? Nobody ever told me that my "disclaimers" make me look worse, so maybe you should just keep your opinions to yourself. You may not like what I have to say, but I don't really respect much of what you say, either. I know you think you're someone special, but you're not. Maybe if you had something of interest to contribute every now and then, other than bitching about what someone else had to say-then I'd give a damn what you thought.

Wow. Overreact, much?

Your "Some of my best friends are..." lines were disclaimers, and several people did say that they discounted your posts after reading those lines.

And LatinaAlumna has contributed plenty. There was nothing wrong with her advising you (and others who are blissfully unaware of stepping, shows, etc) to read the other threads so you could grasp WHY some people are upset.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by als463

Nobody ever told me that my "disclaimers" make me look worse....

I did.

[mccoyred]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

An interesting take on it all - http://www.theroot.com/views/can-we-...ping-ourselves

Thanks for the article and the videos; this is the first time I saw the performances because I refuse to give them YouTube hits.

Frankly, the ZTAs 'step'ped very hard and well BUT they forgot the 'show'. Stepshow performances are not just precision dance routines but typically include athleticism, personality and a little bit of trash talking, all of which are a big part of the cultural infusion and all of which were lacking in this performance. The AKA's performance was good, I wouldn't say award-winning though. If the judges were Greek or at least familiar with stepshows, the ZTAs would not have even placed, sorry!

[Wolfman]

In my opinion, any animus should be directed to Sprite not the UA ZTA Step Team. This whole thing was a business promotional; our (D9 orgs) has $$ in their eyes; but when you sign on to what mainstream Corporate America is doing you sign on to their agenda--never forget that! As Milton Friedman once said, "There's no free lunch."

On a broader note, this brings up the costs of operating in an "integrated" society. We, as black people, tended only to look at the benefits of access to institutions and services enjoyed by others but not the fact that this also meant that we would be some "assimilation" on our end. You can't have one without the other. The real issue is how this dynamic is navigated.

Sprite and corporate sponsors don't give a flip about the ethos and cultural aspects of Stepping and its history. They care about the "Benjamins." Bad publicity from this debacle, which may impact their bottom line, is what caused the change of decision. "Hate" for ZTA's performance and the first decision is misdirected.

[SWTXBelle]

It will be interesting to see if they repeat the competition next year.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

It will be interesting to see if they repeat the competition next year.

If they do, I'm sure they are going make sure the judges have stepping or at least some kind of dance experience.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

In my opinion, any animus should be directed to Sprite not the UA ZTA Step Team. This whole thing was a business promotional; our (D9 orgs) has $$ in their eyes; but when you sign on to what mainstream Corporate America is doing you sign on to their agenda--never forget that! As Milton Friedman once said, "There's no free lunch."

On a broader note, this brings up the costs of operating in an "integrated" society. We, as black people, tended only to look at the benefits of access to institutions and services enjoyed by others but not the fact that this also meant that we would be some "assimilation" on our end. You can't have one without the other. The real issue is how this dynamic is navigated.

Sprite and corporate sponsors don't give a flip about the ethos and cultural aspects of Stepping and its history. They care about the "Benjamins." Bad publicity from this debacle, which may impact their bottom line, is what caused the change of decision. "Hate" for ZTA's performance and the first decision is misdirected.

I generally agree with your statement except for the bolded. Trust, we know about the "assimilation" and it is not just "some" if you really want access.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

In my opinion, any animus should be directed to Sprite not the UA ZTA Step Team. This whole thing was a business promotional; our (D9 orgs) has $$ in their eyes; but when you sign on to what mainstream Corporate America is doing you sign on to their agenda--never forget that! As Milton Friedman once said, "There's no free lunch."

On a broader note, this brings up the costs of operating in an "integrated" society. We, as black people, tended only to look at the benefits of access to institutions and services enjoyed by others but not the fact that this also meant that we would be some "assimilation" on our end. You can't have one without the other. The real issue is how this dynamic is navigated.

Sprite and corporate sponsors don't give a flip about the ethos and cultural aspects of Stepping and its history. They care about the "Benjamins." Bad publicity from this debacle, which may impact their bottom line, is what caused the change of decision. "Hate" for ZTA's performance and the first decision is misdirected.

I agree that some comments (not so much on GC but on places like youtube) have been over the top. That goes back to what I was saying earlier about how race plays out in society.

Other than that, I don't know why people are acting brand new. BGLO teams are often critiqued for lesser reasons. BGLO teams are also critiqued if they had the precision down but, some people think that something was missing from the routine.

Don't get me wrong, the more I watch the ZTA show (the 2008 Matrix performance was better than the 2010 one), the more I think it was an overall tight routine. But, a tight routine when you allegedly had a choreographer or some equivalent doesn't get respect in many BGLO circles. That's all speculation, though, and I don't directly blame ZTA because there are no "laws" of stepping. There's just perception and respect, and that's what some people are going based on.

Does anyone know whether this is the same team: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kajs9...eature=related

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Does anyone know whether this is the same team: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kajs9...eature=related

Yes, it is.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Don't get me wrong, the more I watch the ZTA show (the 2008 Matrix performance was better than the 2010 one), the more I think it was an overall tight routine.

Good. So I wasn't crazy in thinking it was an overall tight routine, which is why I defended them. But I now understand the other ramifications (thanks to you and others) behind folx' consternation. It really isn't about hating. It is about knowing.

So who should really step up the game? SPRITE!

[vogelgg]

Wow that video makes me think of that movie bring it on

[vogelgg]

would like to see that show when is it?

[SWTXBelle]

It made the AP wire today.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

It made the AP wire today.

Which probably would not happen it these were BGLO (NPHC or not) teams, even for a Sprite sponsored "the largest stepshow in the world". LOL.