Rose Wellington. Hosting Good Times on the Stepper Set for 30 Years

When I met Rose Wellington at the 50 Yard Line a couple of years ago, she handed me a flyer inviting me to her steppers set. Every time I have seen her since then she’s greeted me with a huge hug and a smile. Little did I know, Rose is one of Chicago’s biggest party hosts and has been bringing steppers together on stepper sets for more than thirty years. She is in the business of creating experiences and moments for people to look good and feel good and has been doing it successfully for decades. She has dedicated literally half of her life to making sure everybody has a good time and spreading love on the set.

Rose Wellington is originally from Aberdeen, Mississippi. Only two years old when her Mom brought her to Chicago from Aberdeen, Rose was raised in Chicago. She started dancing at 25 cent basement parties and even had a waistline party. “Whatever your waistline measured, that’s what you paid to get in the party.” It was a three-day party back in the 80s when it was safe to invite people into your home. Rose has been stepping for more than 35 years – since she was seventeen. In April 2022, Rose Wellington celebrates the 30 Year Anniversary of hosting her 4th Saturday stepper sets in Chicago.

Chicago Stepping is a Positivity Potion

Rose fell in love with Chicago Stepping because It is so smooth. “Someone or something can get on my nerves, but when I walk in that door and hear the music… I forget everything negative.” Stepping is my medication. It calms and relaxes the mind and body. When steppers come out and open the door and walk in, everything is simply fine. 

If you have ever been to Rose’s set and seen her you should remember her infamous sign – “Thank You For Your Support.” Her stepper set is called Paradise Production and Miss Woody McNeal was the one who helped her coin the name. As a hair designer of 43 years, Rose has owned three different salons in Roseland under the name Rose Paradise Salon. She first started hosting sets in the late 80s when she had an after-work stepper set at the Famous Lounge. Hosting stepper sets all started for her when her big hair fashion shows drew a large crowd of patrons.

The Interview 

What inspired you to start doing stepper sets? 

When I started my big hair fashion shows in 1978 at the Famous Lounge on 114^th and Michigan, the owner saw the crowd that I brought to his place. So, he asked me if I would like to start having an after-work step set. Once he made me that offer, I said yes. I ended up doing the after-work set every Thursday before I came to the city to do the big stepper set. I was receiving 25% off the bar and you know that’s something they would never do nowadays.  

It started from there. Then Sam Chatman had a club called What’s Popping and he had a club set. It was called the 33 Karat and he asked the members to ask me to join the group, but they never did. After having my last child, I decided to get my own set and went to Mr. G’s on 87th and Ashland. Paradise Production started and will celebrate its 30 years in 2022. The party hosts 500 plus guests every time.  I stayed at Mr G’s for 19 years with both sides open. Mr. G’s has a lot of history and used to be the Sheba Lounge back in 1979. The place was so beautiful. 

When and where are your stepper sets now? 

Hopefully, I’ll be able to return every 4th Saturday at the new Visions in June. I just spoke with the owner of the new venue on 119th and Loomis, where I’m going to return.  

Who are some of the DJs that have played at your stepper sets?  

Miss Woodie McNeal started out. Mr. DJ Sam Chatman, DJ Mellow Khris, Kevin Nevels, DJ Vell. I try to support them all. DJ Cross is my number one DJ and then there is DJ Boogie, and Myron. If I missed anyone, I’m sorry. I rotate and support different DJs. 

Why do you believe your set has been going on successfully for thirty years? 

I believe it’s because I support everyone – New school and Old school. My friend, Sharon had a place that you might call a hole in the wall. It’s on 74th and Racine. One night she saw me there and she said, “Rose Wellington, what are you doing in this dump?” I said, “I go to everything.” Another time when one of my clients had a birthday party someone else asked, “Rose, what are you doing here?” I said, “Your sister invited me.” You may see me go to the Westside, Southside, the suburbs – everywhere. This is why my stepper set has lasted. I support everybody. Because of my personality, I speak to everyone. I treat people how I want to be treated. They always said the southern people are different from the city people. I truly believe that. 

What has been one of the biggest challenges in hosting stepper sets? 

My biggest challenge used to be when I would have my set on the 4th Saturday and someone else would start their sets on the same day. Especially, when the party host would come to my 4th Saturday set and pass out their flyer knowing that they have a party on the same night. That was my biggest challenge. I always passed out 4,000 flyers. If anybody in Chicago hosts a party or set on the 4th Saturday, I go from 4,000 to 6,000 flyers. Sometimes I have handed out 10,000 flyers.

That has been my biggest challenge and now there are out-of-town events. The Texas Boyz host the 4th Saturday in April sometimes and then sometimes they do not. The steppers event in St. Louis is on the 4th Saturday and so they became a challenge too. Then there is the Cincinnati Jazz Fest. It became large and landed on the 4th Saturday. Those months were most challenging. But, for any of those months, I triple my flyers. With Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter I am not worried. I do not care who lands on the fourth Saturday, I’m going to work. 

Share some of the highlights of what has changed since you started hosting your stepper sets? 

The highlight now is that the stepper set is large. People are stepping all around the world and there are more stepper sets to go to. No matter where I go, I see someone I know. This is a challenge and change that I love. I was even in the Bahamas on the elevator on the ship and turned around and someone that I used to see at the East of the Ryan on Friday nights was there. There are a lot of stepper sets to attend.

I try to support Old school and New school and that is challenging trying to support everyone – knowing I also must maintain my real job. Also, I have never really traveled out of town to sets because I had girls. I did not want to be out of town and if something happened, I could not get to them. But now I am ready to spread my wings. For the first time, I am going to Stepaganza in May in St. Louis. I am going to purposely wait and not have a set in May, and I am looking forward to it. This year is the last year, so I am taking my fourth Saturday back. 

Tell us some of your favorite locations or venues where you have held sets. 

The Famous Lounge was my first location. Mr. G’s was my second venue for nineteen years. I really loved it. Back in the 70s when it was the Sheba Lounge, I really loved it. That was one of my biggest and favorite venues. It was a nice one. Another is The Legacy on 119th and Loomis where I’m going to return to soon and the Dorchester. I do not want to leave out Chez Roue. I did not have a set at Chez Roue, but I loved that place on Roosevelt about a half-mile west of Harlem. However, my main three were Mr. G’s, The Legacy, and The Dorchester. 

What do you do to create an inviting atmosphere for everyone on the set? 

Well, my customers love the fact that I try to make my set different from everybody else’s set. Everyone can feel comfortable. Sometimes the stepper set can be cliquish. First, this group of people only sits with this group of people. Maybe, someone only talks to this group of people. I try to mingle with everybody – the New school, the Old school. At my set, I walk around the entire time trying to address everyone. I try to make sure everybody is okay. I am the police on the fourth Saturday to make sure the environment atmosphere is safe for everyone at the stepper set. Throughout the party, I try to take care of everybody. 

What are some of the most memorable and remarkable times from the sets you have hosted? 

I am so excited about April 2nd and I get choked up about it. I am always excited about every December and April. December is my birthday party and April is the anniversary of my set. My birthday is the day after Christmas. One year, I was so shocked and surprised. I had a birthday party at Mr. G’s on Christmas Eve. It was packed wall-to-wall. It shocked me because I never came out on holidays like Christmas Eve. I would be at home cooking on Thanksgiving eve, Mother’s Day, and all holidays. I am at home with my kids.

To have a party and see people outside like that for my birthday I could not stop crying. They wanted me to give a birthday party last year that fell on Christmas Day, but I didn’t want to take people away from their families. I did not want to be away from my family because we have already been away from family enough because of this virus. I said I will wait. That challenge shall come again. Andre Blackwell and I started hosting birthday parties together in December and we have celebrated together for at least 25 years. April and December are the most memorable, loved parties with cherished moments and loved ones. 

What will make the 30 Year Anniversary celebration on April 2 special? 

How is the planning process for your stepper sets? 

Because I am in my sixties, I write everything down. Everything that I know that I want to take care of at the table is written down. I have my medium reserved signs. My gift bags will be filled with new surprises. I am going to have bags of gifts on some tables. Then for the raffle tickets, I am going to have something special for that. I am going to have six envelopes with cash and scratch-off tickets to win for life. If anyone wins, can I just have $50,000? I also bought gift cards for Starbucks and Home Depot. 

Do you ever think of retiring from planning and hosting stepper sets? 

I do not want to stop hosting parties just like I don’t want to stop doing hair. I have been doing hair for 43 years and stepper sets for 30 years. As long as God lets me keep my health, my strength, and my mind, I am doing them. I plan on doing this forever. Until death do we apart. 

I am looking forward to April 2^nd and hope everyone comes out and I genuinely appreciate this interview. I don’t see stepping going anywhere. There are people stepping all over the world. I give big thanks now to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For more than ten years, I have been trying to reach Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, Nick Cannon, and Queen Latifah. I wish for someone to make a movie featuring my stepper set. I am not going to stop this dream. It is my desire until it happens. When the right person sees it, it will happen.  

Love doesn’t circulate like it used to. I am looking forward to giving away some surprises. Supporting any black-owned business is important to me and I try to do so when I can. I try to spread love. When I smile at you, I hope you smile back at me. If I cannot get you to smile, I am going to blow you a kiss. No one knows anyone’s story. I have some hard struggle days and struggle weeks too, but stepping is my medication. If I hear my jam, I am going to dance through the house. I do not even need a partner.  

Rose Wellington. Celebrating a woman bringing people together on the stepper set for years of good times.

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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