The origins of Step Dancing begins in Africa with the gumboot dance. According to historians, the boots may be embellished with bells, so that they ring as the dancers stamp on the ground. This sound would be a code or a different calling to say something to another person a short distance away. This was used to communicate in the mines as there was strictly no talking otherwise there would be severe, drastic punishments at the discretion of their superior. Slaves in the United States continued this practice and utilized this communication method on plantations

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Today, stepping is now a worldwide phenomenon practiced amongst people of all ages from drill teams, churches, high schools to college fraternities and sororities and more. 

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We challenge the teams to be creative with their routines as we pay tribute to a significant part of the culture.