On June 8, 2019 stepper JB Burns and his partner, Kelly Roberts, won first place at the 12th Annual Bo Watson Red Steppers Affair Steppin’ Contest walking away with trophies, $1,000 prize, and bragging rights. JB is from Cincinnati, OH, born and raised and has been steppin’ Chicago style a little over 15 years. He was introduced to steppin’ by the infamous R Kelly video “Steppin’ in the Name of Love.” When Tony Dow started traveling from Columbus to Cincinnati doing a series of workshops JB caught on right away learning the six count. A host of people influenced JB’s dance. “The most influential is Brian “Steppin B” Patterson. Although he is on the west coast, as long as we have iPhones, we Facetime each other.” I am glad to have talked with JB for him to share his story. Now, the interview ….
Was the Gary, Indiana contest your first contest as a stepper?
No. I competed in the World’s Largest Steppers Contest twice in 2009 and 2013
Why did you compete in this contest in Indiana?
At this point, I was about to give up stepping after this year. I told myself, if I am going out with a bang, I am going to do every contest that I can put my hand in. It just so happened that Tony Grown Folks reached out at the Shades of Blue in Indianapolis and asked me to enter. He’s been asking me for the last two years. I just said this year was going to be the year for me.
JB, how did you go about picking your partner?
Kelly Roberts was an easy pick. Every time we see each other at a party or a set, our flow was just to have fun. That is what I needed to go back to – having fun, dancing again instead of taking it all serious.
What did you consider your biggest challenge for this contest?
My biggest challenge was after I danced in the contest to not ask certain people in the steppin’ community their advice or what I needed to work on. That was the biggest challenge. I was so eager to get off that floor and start asking questions, but I decided not to.
After every contest a lot of people have opinions on who should have won. Why do you believe you and your partner earned this win?
In my most humble opinion, I believe we brought that positive, fun energy back in that dance. And I saw it in my partner’s smile and I smiled. Any other time I would have had that mean, buzz look, the break dancing battle down look, that mean look like I’m destroying everybody. But I see it was a blessing in disguise … the crowd participating. They could see the smile in my face again, the positive vibe of being back to the old JB again. We were having fun and I guess it resonated with the judges and the crowd.
Tell me more about the “move” at the end. Where did that come from?
When I step out of the norm of Chicago style steppin’ – since they wouldn’t consider that steppin’- of just me free styling that’s pretty much is me. It’s the African dance, line dancing, break dancing in me. It’s not going to go anywhere. I can still follow the rules of what Chicago is looking for, but I still gotta do me in this dance someway somehow and it paid off.
If you could change anything about this stepper experience, what would you change JB?
I don’t think I would change anything.
Where will we see you next on the steppin’ scene?
Cincinnati has a Jazz Festival weekend. Darryl Bourne and Tony Rome a day set on that weekend at the end of July. I will be at the White Party this weekend. I will definitely be down in Alabama for Keep It Simple weekend in September.
JB, now that you have claimed this win, what’s next for you in the world of steppin’ contests?
World’s Largest Steppers Contest? That’s a bunch of question marks depending on my partner. I am going to allow her to enjoy this victory, but at the same time she has some things to take care of, so I am actually going to wait on that decision. You can’t just dance with everybody.
When you say you were leaving the community what does that mean?
I was going to hang the dancing shoes up and focus on my bowling career. My coaching. I am a high school bowling coach for Winton Woods. Personally, my growth in my bowling within myself has helped me reach a status in the community where I also get to travel and do something I love doing besides steppin’. If it ain’t steppin’ it’s bowling and if it ain’t bowling, it’s steppin’. Bowling has started to take a positive push for me and has kept me busy more than steppin’. When I decided to put my bowling balls down and pick up the shoes again I don’t have to be everywhere all the time. If it isn’t steppin, it’s definitely going to be bowling. It’s all over my Facebook page.
Will you completely disappear off the steppin’ scene?
I’ll stick my face in every now and again. 15 years has been wonderful. I wouldn’t want to trade it for the world. When I want to lightweight exit out the door, I want to do it gracefully. I’ve met a lot of great people along the way. When it starts to faze out and a door closes, another one opens. This bowling has definitely helped me in my growth and helped me get over a lot of things in my life with all the bowling. On top of that, I’m making money.
I want to say thanks to everyone who helped me in my dance – Angie Faine, Carlton Puckett, Ambrose West, Steppin’ B, Shorty Smooth, Deon Farr, Larry Colins, Ed Donaldson, Amanda Anderson, Feo, Candace, Keesha, Maurice Thomas, and Uncle Steve”The Wobble Man”, Jacques Sanders and my dance partner, Kelly Roberts.
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