Chicago stepping
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Chicago-Style Stepping (also known as Steppin') is an urban dance that originated in Chicago and continues to evolve nationwide and overseas, while defining its unique style and culture within the context of mainstream Swing dance. "Chicago-Style Stepping" makes reference to other urban styles of dance found throughout the United States in urban enclaves such as Detroit, Cleveland, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.[example needed] Examples of Steppin' include "Step On IT" urban ballroom TV (hosted by Media Man the "Deacon Doc"), signed to Skee Lo Musik/Sony. It airs on Roku/Apple TV via IFAME TV network.
Origins
Chicago-Style Stepping, affectionately known as steppin, like most social dances, evolved from the "Bop" in the 1970s. In 1973 Sam Chatman was the first to coin the term "Chicago Step", and has been widely credited with marking steppin's evolutionary transition from Bop. The swing dance known as Steppin' is a part of the Western Swing family. The parent dance "Chicago Bop" may have been more Eastern Swing, but Steppin' has characteristics more similar to Western, especially its usage of a lane or slot. The term "Bop" was used to describe the dance form by Chicagoans until the early 1970s. Prior to that time "Bop" was a universally known term with its origin beginning sometime between 1945 & 1950 to express music and dance. The dance known as Chicago Steppin' evolved from Bop and is more likely a derivative of Jitterbug. No published syllabuses exist for the dance.[1] Chicago-Style Stepping gained a real foothold when a local radio station, WVAZ (102.7FM/1390AM) began playing "Mr. Fix-It" and "Loves Gonna Last", two obscure songs recorded by Jeffree (Jeffree Perry) from his MCA 1979 Jeffree album. "Mr Fix it" had modest success as a single on the R&B charts. "Loves Gonna Last", an album cut, became so popular in Chicago that the steppers dubbed it The Steppers National Anthem.
Popularity
Steppin in Chicago goes back to the late 1940s early 1950s, originally called Bopping it evolved with soul music as the street corner harmony soul songs did with musical bands. Stepping remained popular throughout, even as Hip Hop and Rap music came along it remained main stream in the urban dance scene. ( Also there's the only Mainstream Steppin TV show in the World ! " Step On IT " urban ballroom show signed to icon rapper ' Skee Lo 's Music Mogul label/Sony for global distribution, Aires on IFAME TV via Roku/Apple TV.)
Artist such as Grover Washington Jr., Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind and Fire, Average White Band and especially James Brown (J.B.'s Mono-rail) all had hot stepping tunes aside from many others
R. Kelly's songs that featured Steppin' or Stepping helped move the dance into national mainstream culture.
Characteristics
Chicago Stepping is a slotted dance. The follower is typically kept traveling up and down the slot. Two action two one count cycle is the structure. Patterns like "roll out and rollback" describe the action on the slot or lane. The lane belongs to the follower and the leaders travel on, off and around the slot or lane. Steppin' has a 6 or 8 count basic pattern. Its tempo ranges 70 to 100 bpm. Its basic rhythm pattern consists of a double and two syncopated triples. The patterns start traditionally on the downbeat of one. The leader's footwork is started on their Left and finished on their Right. The follower's dance is naturally opposite. The dance bears similar characteristics to New York Hustle and West Coast Swing.
See also
References
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-08-10. Retrieved 2015-08-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
External links
- Kyles, Kyra (2009). "Taking a Step Back", ChicagoTribune.com. Accessed: July 24, 2014.
- Let Us Show You How .... Chicago Style Stepping ... Effortless Steps; YouTube
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