Fraternities, sororities compete in Steel City Step Show

Dressed in camouflage-print pants, combat boots and sunglasses, eight members of the Omicron… Dressed in camouflage-print pants, combat boots and sunglasses, eight members of the Omicron chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha walked on stage Saturday to perform their step routine.

Upon command, the brothers stomped in an elaborate fashion — rotating, jumping and clapping in synchronicity. The thud of their boots and the strength of their words resonated throughout Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall.

The group yelled “one-nine-one-nine-oh-six” in honor of the fraternity’s founding date, 1906, after stepping to some well-known music, including Beyonce’s recent hit, “Party.”

This weekend, Pitt’s National Pan-Hellenic Council hosted the 15th annual Steel City Step Show in front of about 2,000 people.

Six teams performed with aims to win the $1,000 first-place and $500 second-place cash prizes awarded to the best sorority and fraternity step teams.

Steppers dressed uniformly as costumed performers ranging from ninjas to magicians. They used props including headlamps and blindfolds, and they stepped to song selections varying from the Commodores’ “Brick House” to Lil’ Kim’s “Magic Stick.”

After more than three hours of stepping, members of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority defended their title and Phi Beta Sigma was designated the best fraternity step team, ending Alpha Phi Alpha’s three-year winning streak. Alpha Phi Alpha came in second place.

Didi Inyang, vice president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, said that stepping involves a person’s whole body.

“When you step, your body is the instrument,” the senior said about the traditional African American dance that produces rhythm through footsteps, claps and the spoken word.

Prior to the competition, each team practiced for weeks.

Junior Matthew Sauers, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, said that his fraternity began practicing seven days a week after winter break.

Students rehearsing for the competition had to prepare several components before the show in addition to its main stepping aspect.

Aaron Cook, member of Phi Beta Sigma and a student at Robert Morris University, said that a step show involves not only stepping, but vocals, clapping, acting, dancing and the use of facial expressions.

“Facial expressions are key,” he said. “They determine the mood. You can give a mean look, a serious one or even a goofy one.”

Cook’s fraternity Phi Beta Sigma embraced the role of warriors during its performance of “The Stepping Challenge,” performing to a range of musical numbers including Beyonce’s “Run the World” and Carl Douglas’s “Kung Fu Fighting.”

The group even performed a portion of its routine while wearing blindfolds.

Cook said that it is important to recognize the distinction between stepping and dancing, since traditional forms of dance are “more forgiving” of mistakes. With step routines, he said, one wrong motion can distract the audience.

“The community is very nitpicky,” he said. “They will boo at someone who turns their head the wrong way. It’s all about precision.”

Competitors are judged on these levels of precision as well as creativity, synchronization, theme, content and audience participation.

Pitt senior and Delta Sigma Theta member Amy Mack said that a representative from each fraternity and sorority judges the event to ensure fair results.

“[The competition] is really based on who puts on a good show. It’s about the enthusiasm and excitement that is portrayed to the judges,” Mack said.

Steppers elicited supportive cheers from the crowd with their acrobatic positions — stepping bent over backwards and flipping in mid-air as they actively took stepping to a different level.

Despite the competitive tension, a representative from each fraternity and sorority contributed to a display of solidarity between teams at the start of the show by performing the unity step. During the unity step, the groups performed together on stage, with representatives introducing each team individually.

As students demonstrated their energy with attention to their precision and technique, they stepped for more than high scores.

Mack said that step dance has historically been practiced by African American fraternities and sororities.

“Stepping is deeply rooted in history. Through stepping, we show respect for our founders,” Mack said.