Greek Steps Show Celebrates Black History, Culture

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

February 28, 2005
Greek Steps Show celebrates black history, culture
Multicultural groups step it up for celebration of Black History Month


Photo: Morris L. Manning/Iowa State Daily Members of the ISU Hip Hop Dance Club perform at the National Pan-Hellenic Council's Steps Show on Saturday in the Ames City Auditorium, 515 Clark Ave. The event was part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council's Greek Fest.

By Jenny Baragary
Daily Staff Writer

More than 400 people filled City Hall Auditorium on Saturday to see members of multicultural fraternities and sororities perform in Steps Show routines, celebrating black history and traditions in honor of Black History Month.

"There was very positive energy here tonight," said Stella Okeke, National Pan-Hellenic Council president. "It was a really good event for NPHC and for an organization of our size."

Omega Psi Phi -- using a military theme and wearing gold boots and camouflage -- finished the show and got the crowd going with chanting and stomping.

The annual Steps Show, held as part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council's Greek Fest, promotes multicultural fraternities and sororities, bringing the greek community and the university together.

The show featured performances from six multicultural greek and campus organizations.

ISU students, alumni and more than 60 students from Drake University were in attendance.

Jamarr Buchanan, senior in mechanical engineering, said he came to the show because there are not many opportunities to see different cultures at Iowa State and in Ames.

"The show adds to the diversity of Ames," Buchanan said.

"There are not many events like this here."

Shannan Skidmore, senior in Spanish, is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, a Collegiate Panhellenic Council sorority.

"We always try to support other greek organizations," Skidmore said.

"I'm a member of the Hip Hop Club, so it's always good to see what other groups are doing, too."

Three multicultural greek organizations performed and three campus organizations performed, including the Marching Cyclones Drill Team and the Hip Hop Dance Club.

An alumnus from each of the nine National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities and sororities served as judges for the show.

Sigma Lambda Gamma won the top prize in the sorority category, and Omega Psi Phi won the top prize in the fraternity category. The winners received $600 to put toward their organization.

It's not the best written article- says 3 MCGLOs performed, but only mentions names of 2 (Sigma Lambda Gamma, Omega Psi Phi), seems short and fluffed for something that was amazing and could have been reported much better with detail and history.
Gotta give my props to the women of Sigma Lambda Gamma- I've seen them perform before for their Mu-class's coming out last spring. Always amazing performances!

[Reds6]

Omega Psi Phi is a BGLO

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

Originally posted by Reds6
Omega Psi Phi is a BGLO

semantics
BGLOs, AGLOs and LGLOs are all subsets of MCGLOs

[jubilance1922]

Originally posted by IowaStatePhiPsi
semantics
BGLOs, AGLOs and LGLOs are all subsets of MCGLOs

Not really...All 9 NPHC orgs were created before this "multicultural org" craze that we've seen in recent years. Many LGLO's recognize the foundation that BGLO's made in the formation of their orgs.

[Senusret I]

Originally posted by IowaStatePhiPsi
semantics
BGLOs, AGLOs and LGLOs are all subsets of MCGLOs

I see where you're coming from. It's clear from the article that all of the "cultural" organizations are your school are considered "multicultural."

[audaz49]

We have some blurred lines at ISU when it comes to BGLOs, LGLOs, and MCGLOs. But I have to say that I do agree that Omega Psi Phi (and Kappa Alpha Psi - which was the other GLO to perform that night) are BGLOs, not MCGLOs. Even Sigma Lambda Gamma (my sorority) does not refer to itself as a MCGLO. We are a Historically Hispanic Organization with Multi-cultural membership that focuses on Cultural Awareness. There are no MCGLOs on the Iowa State Campus. Hope that clears things up. And if I'm wrong about there being no MCGLOs, it would be because they (if they do indeed exist here) affiliate with CPC or IFC.

NOTES ON THE ARTICLE
It would have been nice if they had actually used a picture of a GLO performing, not the Hip Hop Club........
There was also a member of the SLG Central Iowa Alumnae Association acting as a judge.
The STEP SHOW was part of a larger celebration called Greek Fest.

I think thats all.....

[laidbackfella]

Originally posted by IowaStatePhiPsi
semantics
BGLOs, AGLOs and LGLOs are all subsets of MCGLOs

If we are talking about semantics then aren't all GLO's subsets of MCGLO's?

[AKA_Monet]

Originally posted by laidbackfella
If we are talking about semantics then aren't all GLO's subsets of MCGLO's?

No. Historically NPHC organizations have been around a long time before there were other organizations that have a different ethnic emphasis were around... I do not see it as semantics. And if you do a search, there were discussions about these semantics years ago.

[TheEpitome1920]

I know this is totally off the topic but are there non-NPHC organizations in ISUs NPHC?

[laidbackfella]

Originally posted by AKA_Monet
No. Historically NPHC organizations have been around a long time before there were other organizations that have a different ethnic emphasis were around... I do not see it as semantics. And if you do a search, there were discussions about these semantics years ago.

You've totally missed the point of what I was saying.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally posted by TheEpitome1920
I know this is totally off the topic but are there non-NPHC organizations in ISUs NPHC?

The NPHC itself has a stipulation that only organization older than 25 years can be a part of it... That is how the Iota's became members of the NPHC, not too long ago--like 199- something...

[AKA_Monet]

Originally posted by laidbackfella
You've totally missed the point of what I was saying.

Okay, explain it to me...

Did you do a search on this issue alone: NPHC and BGLO's vs. other organizations?

I think it did get locked up...

[laidbackfella]

Originally posted by AKA_Monet
Okay, explain it to me...

Did you do a search on this issue alone: NPHC and BGLO's vs. other organizations?

I think it did get locked up...

Either you believe in Adam and Eve being the Mother and Father of all races or you recognize that all GLO's have members of various races, whether they share and/or know it or not.

It seems as if IowaStatePhiPsi classifies Multi-Cultural GLO as being a different culture than the predominant culture of his own GLO while those of us who are members of an established GLO with an ethnically solvent identity refer to MCGLO a lil differently.

In essence it was a play on words.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally posted by laidbackfella
It seems as if IowaStatePhiPsi classifies Multi-Cultural GLO as being a different culture than the predominant culture of his own GLO while those of us who are members of an established GLO with an ethnically solvent identity refer to MCGLO a lil differently.

There is a whole ideology of Multi Culturalism... Some folks do not share that ideology and think that the needs of their community are left unaddressed...

As far as "established GLO with an ethnically solvent indentity refering to MCGLO" differently is what I am trying ascertain from your points you are trying to make. I do not understand can you be more specific...

Because, I see the NPHC is not Multiculturally focused...

[TheEpitome1920]

Originally posted by AKA_Monet
The NPHC itself has a stipulation that only organization older than 25 years can be a part of it... That is how the Iota's became members of the NPHC, not too long ago--like 199- something...

Yeah I'm aware of that policy. But I'm at the universities that allow organizations that are not nationally recognized by the NPHC to be under its umbrella locally.