Stepping is a combination of African and African-American music and dance traditions. A school step team puts on performances that involve drill-team moves, cheerleading, gymnastics and acrobatics. Stepping always involves clapping and stomping, sometimes simultaneously, and allows steppers to use their bodies to create rhythms. Starting a school step team requires not only stepping skills but also strong organizational and marketing skills.
Talk with friends at your school and see who might be interested in getting involved in a step team. Keep a list of these friends. Ask them what their area of interest and strength is so that you can establish offices and delegate responsibilities such as handling money or planning activities/events.
Create a plan with your new officers for what you want your step team to do during the year. For example, decide how many days of the week you want to practice stepping and what days and times work best for most people in the group. Decide on a meeting venue as well. Also, decide on who will become your step team’s step-master or step-mistress, or ask a teacher who is good at stepping to be your step leader. The step leader is responsible for creating and teaching steps, incorporating rhymes and chants into the steps and planning step shows.
Ask one of your teachers to be an adviser for your step team. Your school club must have an adviser, and solidifying faculty support will make pitching your idea to the school’s administration more successful.
Contact your school principal to set up a meeting for discussing your school step team idea. Explain your specific plans for the club and mention the name of the teacher who already has agreed to serve as your club adviser. Also, ask your principal if you can use a classroom or meeting room at the school for the club.
Ask the principal if you can hang fliers or posters at the school to advertise your new step team. Hang the posters in eating areas, classrooms, the library or other common areas at the school. Pass fliers around as well, and get your announcement about the new club in your school’s newspaper. Request to make a call for volunteers during the school’s announcement period and in the school’s video announcements as well.
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YaShekia King, of Indianapolis, began writing professionally in 2003. Her work has appeared in several publications including the "South Bend Tribune" and "Clouds Across the Stars," an international book. She also is a licensed Realtor and clinical certified dental assistant. King holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Ball State University.