Reading Time: 4 minutes

Before the review of WLSC, here is what I was looking forward to at the 2021 World’s Largest Steppers Contest:

  • New steppers that fell in love with Stepping during the pandemic
  • Seasoned steppers reignited and refreshed with new moves and creative dances that make me say “Wow!”
  • Seeing Tyk Man, Kevin Doc Dockery, and Drewry Alexander compete in the same category

The 2021 WLSC did not disappoint me because they gave me all three. Check! And Check! AND CHECK! I decided to see the WLSC from a different perspective this year – not as a contestant – to examine what I was reaching for. I watched all the contestants perform and tried to understand how the judges came to their winning choices. My review isn’t based on why didn’t the judge pick that couple instead. Rather, I focus on “the winners”, how they performed to win the judges’ attention and scores, why their performances stood out, and what factors were different this year.

Eight Lessons Learned from the 2021 WLSC

1. Move like a centipede

Fluidity and flow make dancing beautiful. Keesha Anderson is the epitome of being the centipede in every contest I have watched with her. Rose Turuka and Marc Brewer, winners in the Beginner’s category, stood out as a couple to remember for the same reason. The men that impressed me with a graceful lead and the fluidity of their turns despite build and size, were Drewry Alexander, Barak Swanigan, and Ricky McMahon.

2. Sweet Feet

When the ladies moved their feet, the crowd hollered. It was not about complicated kicks and patterns but moving the feet with effective pauses to punctuate their dance. Genevieve Bober, Leeana Myles, Rose Turuka, Nay Nay Mitchell, and Henrietta Winfield came with the feet this year. Lloyd Johnson danced the way he does every time I see him. I love his consistency, style, and feetwerk. Burn baby burn!

3. The Flirt

I have realized a long time ago that winning performances tell a love story. The dance is a three-minute flirt between a woman and a man that brings the music’s story to life. Despite the different ranges of music choice, the top three love stories that won me over were – Drewry Alexander and Keesha Anderson, Lloyd Johnson and Nay Nay Mitchell, Ricky McMahon, and Sharlon Becton.

4. Appearance

Every contestant looked like a million dollars. I watched for the ladies who put together an outfit that made a statement of class and grace that also worked for their dance. Keesha Anderson, Sharlon Becton, and Tabitha Hicks stood out for that reason. The men all looked magnificent. Bobby Taylor and Tabitha Hicks came out looking like a real couple with standout looks that fit. The ladies took center stage for me in appearance – as they should.

5. Undergarments

Okay, this is of special interest to me. Being on an elevated stage for the WLSC in a dress makes this critical. In my opinion, there are other means than dance shorts to cover up. I liked how Keesha solved that problem. And, what I love about Tabitha every time she performs, no matter how short her dress she moves and turns in a way to not reveal herself and to keep it classy. Her dress stays down.

6. Showcasing the Woman, the Man, and the Couple.

I keep hearing that stepping is all about the woman. However, this year’s winning couples allowed each other to shine individually and together as one during their performance. I saw this across all the categories. Ricky McMahon, Lloyd Johnson, Kirk White, Stanley Brown, and Drewry Alexander were very intentional in how they did this. These ladies had prime-time moments in their performance that made it all about them. Respectively Sharlon Becton, Nay Nay Mitchell, Bridgett White, Leeana Myles, and Keesha Anderson each had their moment on stage.

7. Originality and Creativity

A winner’s challenge can be, “What can I do next that I have not done before on stage?” I can imagine if you keep on winning “for years” like Drewry this question becomes even more of a challenge. I take heed of Q’s interview with livingthe8count, where judges are looking for a WOW moment. He gets my A+ for doing his homework and showing us something new and entertaining. I have watched the performance with Drewry and Keesha “several” times and I can’t stop talking about the floor glide and Drewry’s slloooowwww turn. He came with something new and excited the crowd with his performance and the songs they chose. Great job! Let me go watch it again right now. Tori Robinson’s and Genevieve Bober’s performance was creative and different and I loved their performance.

8. Factors out of the contestants’ control

This year there were fewer contestants across categories relative to 2019. Contestants don’t know what might change throughout the contest because of the turnout. A couple might end up dancing on stage with another couple or by themselves. This year, only the Walkers took the stage with more than one couple at a time. In every other category, contestants danced one at a time. I almost wanted to kick myself for not entering this year. I am not sure what happened with some contestants that ended up dancing the entire performance to only one or two songs. It was obvious that contestants who danced to more than one song had an advantage and the chance to display diversity and range in their dance. They had an edge to win. Contestants should submit all their songs every time. Other than your body, it’s the only other factor a contestant has some control over on stage.

A lot of people are intimidated or swayed by “contest politics.” I think Ed Donaldson’s post on Facebook said it best:

Ed Donaldson WLSC advice

Subscribe to Chicago Stepping News by eMail from Sonji

Sonji Stewart

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.

Get the latest blog post by email because every stepper should be on this email list.

By clicking submit, you accept our terms & conditions. We do not share or sell your personal information.

Join our group on Facebook at livingthe8count, A Chicago Style Steppin Community