Without a doubt, the stepper takeover of the fabulous Marriott Marquis in Downtown Atlanta Feb 22-26 heralded the return of The Heritage Ball 2024 to its hometown. Steppers were ready to return to stepping with our event hosts and friends from Good Deeds International (GDI). Believe me, steppers have been buzzing about this event all month long. And guess what? Even those who didn’t make it to the Heritage Ball are dying to know what happened and the highlights!
As someone who has been attending The Heritage Ball for nearly a decade, I must say that we’ve come to anticipate a certain level of warmth and excitement at this event. GDI has created a wonderful atmosphere and event culture for us, and even though things change over time, we still cherish those special traditions of the ball. So, how did it go, and what were the Heritage Ball highlights?
Highlighting Traditions of The Heritage Ball
- Dance All Day. With the purchase of a weekend package, a stepper could party and dance every day and save money. Thursday through Saturday started with unforgettable day parties beginning at noon. Sunday started with the Soul Review in the morning, and the day’s last event ended at 3 a.m. on Monday. Don’t forget the hangout and the workshops!
- A Fashion Weekend. The Friday Gala with the Afrocentric attire is the most glamorous weekend fashion for me. Many of us were ready, and our heritage showcase was beautiful. I loved the crowns. We were showing out all weekend long.
- I Didn’t See You. I missed more than a few people on the weekend. I saw photos and videos on Facebook of people I knew at the event, but we did not see each other all weekend. This is a tradition for me and many steppers.
- Parking Problems. Most steppers know parking will be a cost we can avoid paying every year, but we still have a car. Still, at least one person’s car is booted. We get through it, and this is one thing I wish GDI would share more information on onsite. You don’t want to rent a car if you attend the Heritage Ball. GDI also provides transportation options for attendees.
- Great Music. Every day that I was there, the music was great. Thank you to the Chicago cast of DJs – DJ Calvin, DJ Vell, DJ Cross, DJ Black Cool, DJ MellowKhris, Myron the R Robinson; and DJs from Atlanta and other cities – DJ Sizzle, DJ K-Boogie, DJ Shorty Smooth, DJ Sampsonite, DJ Candymann, DJ New Wave, DJ Rockin Rodney Mack, DJ Kel-C, and DJ Pony Mack.
- Chicago Wins the City Roll Call. I did not attend on Saturday, but I heard that Chicago won the City Roll Call hands down – as always.
The Social Climate and New Ideas
- Social, Mingling Energy – The Heritage Ball seemed more social, and everyone mingled. Several people remarked this was a noticeable change.
- The Sneaker Ball – This was new and split the crowd on Thursday between Ellery’s and the party at the host hotel. The dancefloor was comfortable. Adidas vs Nike: Adidas was the landslide winner. This was the first time I had witnessed a sneaker theme at the Heritage Ball.
- Heights of Hospitality – An all-smiles weekend. The team was communicative, cheerful, and committed to a good time. Executed infamously well with grace – Simply GDI-style!!
I think the success of the Heritage Ball is reflected in the social media coverage while at the event and the number of people who turned up for it. I don’t know the numbers exactly, but I know what I saw, and I know what I heard.
Social Media Coverage
Live social media coverage this weekend from Fannie Pettis, Jackie Hodges, The Original Old School Heavy Hitters, Universal Steppin’ Network, and DJ Shorty Smooth was like a non-stop party bringing all the fun vibes online. It was nice, and there was general coverage for most of the event. I am used to seeing more focused footage of specific couples or dancers flooding Facebook.
A few feature videos and photos were captured at the event. The videos that popped up were short and sweet unless people secretly hoarded them. If that is the case, I will wait for it! At least one person on Facebook requested to see new faces featured in the coverage. We got a sneak peek from every night of the event on Facebook. Brian Forbes admitted there were some issues on one night. Sadly, I didn’t spot anything from Brian Forbes or Latika Billups in my Facebook feed. Let me go fix my algorithms. Our “official media” coverage should keep us entertained!
The Crowd and Turnout
I have attended the Heritage Ball many times, and the crowd was noticeably lighter this time. Don’t get me wrong, plenty of people still showed up, but let me put it this way. At the witching hour, between 11 p.m. and midnight, we danced a couple on 4-6 squares. In the past, at the height of the night, steppers danced a couple to barely two squares. Having some extra space to move around was pretty sweet, but now I’m scratching my head wondering where all the regulars went. Many folks from different cities who told me they’d be at the Heritage Ball in Atlanta did not attend. Although Atlanta has a large stepping community, I didn’t see many of the locals. I’ve got my theories, though, and let me share what some of the steppers spilled to me:
- Financially, the affordability of rooms at the host hotel was a concern. The stepper market is saturated with events and offers various alternatives with more cost-effective options for accommodations and weekend passes all year long.
- Some were concerned about the potential overcrowding due to the anticipated high attendance after a 4-year hiatus.
- Post-COVID changes in the overall quality and stability of the weekend event experience prompted steppers to wait for GDI to understand the changes and stabilize the event and try it next year – 2025
Wishing for Heritage Ball 2025
Whatever the reason for the steppers who did not show up, I was there all four days and enjoyed Heritage Ball 2024. These were my Heritage Ball highlights. It was different but pleasantly different for me. The lighter crowd made it easier for me to move around and socialize. When I was dancing, it was comfortable, and there were no collisions.
Another time, I will share with readers some of my special moments on the dancefloor because for me, the experience is about the dance and the people. I look forward to Heritage Ball 2025 next year. If you have not started planning for it, get ready. I am already on the lookout for the flyer, and I hope that GDI brings it back for the steppers. I love it!
Photo Credit: Donna Peek
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Welcome! I am the writer Sonji Stewart. These are my travel stories about my Chicago Stepping experiences, traveling from city to city to dance. I hope my stories encourage you to join me in the adventure.
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