High School Students Stepping better than the Greeks!

SeriousSigma22 · #1 10-17-2001, 07:29 PM

Sorors and Friends,

The students at my high school in Fairfax County have a serious step team. They call themselves the Imani step because they had the faith to endure and overcome the trials and tribulations of the administration. Anyway, they performed at their homecoming pep rally on Friday, October 12, 2001 and these girls (17 girls on the squad) step harder and better than a lot of the greeks on the undergraduate and graduate levels. However, several of the new teachers (5), greeks and non-greeks, were upset with the fact that these girls have all of the steps of the divine nine. Their current advisor is a non-greek, however, she did attend an hbcu for her undergraduate experience and she asked many of her friends to teach them some current steps. This is my simple question: Do you think high school students should have access to bglo's steps? These girls represented to the fullest as the students say and they have always walked around the school like they are members of a sorority.

The story gets better!
On Tuesday, October 16, 2001 some of these new teachers want to confront the step team advisor about the girls' attitudes. One teacher asked for my opinion because I have been at the school for 9 years. I told her that it really didn't bother me because they were just high school students having fun. The child got upset with me because she didn't get the right response. Was I wrong for not taking issue with her simple plight? Remember these teachers are brand new folks freshly out of college!

I really want to know your thoughts!

Serioussigma22!

Special1920 · #2 10-18-2001, 08:11 AM

I think your response was correct. If it's not an issue with you, it's not an issue. It wouldn't be for me either. We had clubs in HS, that had greek letters(although I was unaware at the time about greek organizations), They didn't so much step, but they did make-up dances and do at parties and such. I would rather see them doing something positive then hanging out on the street corner, selling drugs, seling their bodies etc. These young teachers really need to grow up. They can't stop this group or any other from "stepping".

TRSimon · #3 10-18-2001, 01:05 PM

Hey Soror...

You definitely did the right thing. It's too bad that some (most) people don't graduate from college with a degree in adult maturity. It's not like the steps are copywrighted. Otherwise, all HBGOs would be in court all of the time, because someone is bound to (on purpose or by accident) to do someone's something sooner or later.

TRSimon

RHOyal-Silence · #4 10-18-2001, 05:36 PM

please forgive me for straying from the subject......

seriousSigma,
are u in Allendale?

SeriousSigma22 · #5 10-18-2001, 06:51 PM

Thanks sorors and friends for your responses to my question!

I teach at Hayfield Secondary? If you saw the movie "Remember the Titans" staring Denzel Washington we were the first school the T.C.William Titans destroyed. And of course, that's when Hayfield wasn't intergrated as it is now. In the movie the team has on Blue and orange with hawks on their helmets and the game is played at night. The school has about 3600 students from 7th grade to 12th grade and I teach Psychology, Sociology, Comparative Religions, and World History and Geography One so I teach the ninth through the twelfth grades!

Tre · #6 10-19-2001, 10:52 AM

Becuz if you think about it, when sororities do these "frat attacks" are they not doing any more than the popular step from that org.

Being a member of a stepteam now, I don't see anything wrong with the high schoolers working hard at getting a routine and getting the idea from something else they saw. Certain moves in a routine we do appear as though we got a little Omega in us, or you may see an occasional Kappa "Bop" (which is more of what I do

)--so I don't see the problem.

These steps aren't trademarked.

Just my $19.22 cents.

SGRho--that's the only way to go, baby!!!!

kizzie22 · #7 10-24-2001, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Special1920
I think your response was correct. If it's not an issue with you, it's not an issue. It wouldn't be for me either. We had clubs in HS, that had greek letters(although I was unaware at the time about greek organizations), They didn't so much step, but they did make-up dances and do at parties and such. I would rather see them doing something positive then hanging out on the street corner, selling drugs, seling their bodies etc. These young teachers really need to grow up. They can't stop this group or any other from "stepping".

I agree

jojapeach · #8 10-25-2001, 11:26 AM

Soror, I admire you for being able to see the bigger picture that they are just high schoolers having fun. Maybe you should educate the teachers about the mild nature of their step team.

If the children aren't throwing up the signs or doing calls (which are unofficial but sentimental) and claiming to be a part of the organizations, then what's the big deal?

They should be corrected if they contort the ability to do the steps with being a member of the organizations. I'm only 2 months old, and I don't have a problem with it.

Be blessed.

SeriousSigma22 · #9 10-25-2001, 07:48 PM

Soror Jojopeach,

Once again welcome to Sigma Gamma Rho and thanks for your intelligent and mature comments about such a trival matter. Things have gotten much better at school because they realize that I don't really care if they (other new teacher's) have a problem with my not caring about the high school steppers using steps from the 9 bglos.

Stay strong, blessed and safe,

Serioussigma22

Finer Woman10-A-91 · #10 10-25-2001, 08:09 PM

I just wanted to add another spin to this whole issue of stepping. I personally disagree with teaching traditional steps of the D9 to highschoolers. I would rather see them doing an African dance integrating a few ORIGINAL steps if they must. I don't want to see some college freshman on the yard rocking my step or anyone else's for that matter. I say college freshman, because after doing it one time, well....you know it would not happen again.

Now, please understand I know in the final analysis they are afterall, just children, but stepping for many means a whole lot more than "just stepping". I think some things are worth waiting to learn. Somehow, I don't think a non-greek advisor would teach the student steppers the respect that goes with learning a D9 step. The arrogance and innocence of youth could cause a nasty confrontation that is simply unnecessary.

I am also against youth groups that act like quasi sororities and fraternities. My chapter sponsors one...an Archonette club, but our young ladies know they are a club...not a chapter...a young ladies group...not a sorority. And yes, our young ladies want to learn to step. In the past they have stepped. However, now they are learning dance and very little stepping.

Do any of you ladies here sponsor a Rhoers club?

LB1914 · #11 10-25-2001, 10:27 PM

I just wanted to add my $19.14 on this topic. I too teach at a high school and I personally would have a problem if they decided to come up with a stepteam whose steps mirrored those of the Divine 9. I had to chastise a young man in my class one day that decided that he wanted to get up and do a "Que " step in the middle of class. Why did I do that? 1. I'm a Sigma and I won't have Que steps in my classroom(smile) and 2. HE is NOT an Omega and does not have the right to do their step and/or throw up their sign!

Personally I do not like to see high school or middle school step teams twirling canes, hopping, throwing up "half" pyramids(I have seen that here in Atlanta), or doing anything that remotely resembles a step that is primarily used by a particular organization. For instance, if they want to do a generic step, that's fine. If they want to do the Sigma Nutcracker, I surely won't be the one to teach it to them. If you see a high school team doing a step that is used by an NPHC group, more than likely a member of that group taught it to them.

PrettyKitty · #12 10-26-2001, 04:07 PM

I don't have a problem with it, as long as they are respectful. I have seen some hs boyZ twirls canes better than Nupes...they were however very disrespectul and fresh...so they should have been taught better.

SeriousSigma22 · #13 10-26-2001, 06:57 PM

Dear Fellow Greeks,

First, I would like to thank you folks for your honest comments and replies about this touchy subject. However, Fairfax County Public School systems would never allow the students to participate or sponsor an African dance club because the system is just to lilly white. It is a very wealthy county that would never go for an African dance team. Most of the students are children of doctors, lawyers, government officials, and Indian chiefs. Yes, even a lot of the African American students have parents that own businesses, run corporations, and are well-to-do black folks. Heck, the student parking lot is filled with luxury cars and brand new SUVs. Fairfax County is just ten minutes outside of D.C. in Northern Va. and the school system set the policy that the steppers had to open tryouts to all students. Currently, they have two caucasian students on the team. And let's face it most of these students are not interested in African dance because they don't really know their history.

Second, I can understand your concerns about disrepecting the members of bglos, however, half of these students will go off to college and someone will train them about the ways of the bglos. I know that their advisor actually got some of the greeks from different colleges to show them the steps. I can't believe that those same greeks aren't teaching them to be respectful. Let's face it they're high school kids and most teenagers are a little cocky.

Once again thanks for your comments!

Serioussigma22