In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Variegated Roots 315 315 11 Variegated Roots The Foundations of Stepping Carol D. Branch Cars prowl through the parking lot hoping to pounce on the closest open slot. Streams of young women,men,and families head toward the event arena.Along the way, verbal calls float in the air, the final run-through of an unseen team is heard, and the eyes are bombarded with waves of blue, red, black,pink, brown, and purple. The air is filled with a sense of anticipation about the coming hours.It is springtime,and for many black Greek-letter organizations (BGLOs), that means one thing: the Long Beach Step Show. It is an hour before showtime on the campus of California State University , Long Beach. Outside the Pyramid,1 the local hip-hop station plays the current hits and throws T-shirts to the yelling throng. Meanwhile, the doors, watched by the Fruit of Islam, are opened. As the tickets to one of the biggest step shows in California exchange hands, the DJ skills of Mr. Quick reach out and pull the incoming crowd through the doors. Once inside, the audience stands in awe of the immenseness of the arena. The entrance level is filled with vendors selling Greek paraphernalia and cultural items. From that level, one goes down through the main audience section .As soon as the crowd enters,it is evident where the Greeks sit.The bottom rows quickly become blocks of undulating color, signifying the various organizations . The men of Alpha Phi Alpha sit next to the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha. The brothers of Phi Beta Sigma are next to their Zeta Phi Beta sisters. The sorors of Delta Sigma Theta seat themselves next to Omega Psi Phi fraterVariegated is a botany term that means having discrete markings of different colors. Although commonly used to describe leaves, it can also be applied to roots. By using this term in the chapter title, my intent is to convey that stepping has been shaped by a variety of influences, and the contacts and experiences of its practitioners, all of which have left their mark on the phenomenon of stepping. brownchap11.pmd 1/11/2005, 4:03 PM 315 316 Carol D. Branch nity. The gentlemen of Kappa Alpha Psi sit next to the ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho.And in the midst of these organizations are the brothers of Iota Phi Theta. On the floor level, two sections of seats face a stage whose blackness is relieved only by the nine colorful banners hanging along its rear. In front of the stage and down the aisles surrounding the floor seats, fraternity and sorority members provide the audience with a glimpse of the hours to come through the party strolls. In the back, a group of Kappas throws one cane in the air while manipulating a second cane on the ground. The audience waits with bated breath to see if the performers will catch the first cane before it hits the ground. As they watch the organizations perform, clusters of people wonder aloud about anticipated feats and relive moments from past shows: “Wonder what the Alphas are going to do?” “How are the Deltas going to top the tambourines ?”“Were you here when the Kappas used umbrellas instead of canes?” Finally, it’s showtime. The host is introduced, the black national anthem is sung, and the preshow entertainment moves off the stage. The air fills with BGLO calls and chants as the various teams are announced. During the next five hours, the crowd will be entertained as the organizations compete with one another. However, this show is not just a weekend diversion at the end of a long school year. Rather, the step show is a visual chronicle of the history of blacks,with all its social,cultural,and psychological aspects played out in twelveminute intervals through the medium of stepping. Stepping is a community dance form, in that it showcases various aspects of not only black Greek life but also black life. It is evident that the performance of this vernacular dance, generally done in groups, aids in maintaining the social cohesiveness of the BGLOs. By examining the sites where these performances take place and the verbal and physical expressions of the dancers, one finds that stepping contains the history, philosophies, dreams, and rebellions of its practitioners—past and present. It is simultaneously one of the most private and public performance behaviors of BGLOs. Stepping can be found not only on...

Share