This week, I highlight for Women’s History Month, individuals in the stepping community who to me exemplify the influence and power of a woman. During thirteen years of learning Chicago Stepping, I have met some pretty sensational, amazing people. Women across the United States are making history right before my eyes. They are game changers, decision-makers and fighters, thinkers, have been a part of special, unforgettable moments, and stand out in any room. I dedicate two articles this week to feature ten women making a difference in my world to wrap this month. Here are the first five. We celebrate you for Women’s History Month!
Tina Renee Moore
When I need a safety pin, 9/10 times it’s because I feel exposed and desperately need to cover something up – and feel vulnerable. My first conversation with Tina Renee Moore was during one of these moments and she dropped everything to help. This seems small, but I was at the WLSC getting ready to be on stage. Her care and priority touched me. Tina Renee Moore has been a model person in how she presents herself.
As a fashionista, her personal style is bold and glamorous and makes steppers stop, look, and smile. She represents a woman who looks good and feels good about herself and wants others around her to feel good about themselves. Her dance persona exudes, “I am in charge, but you can do your thing but we will respect each other while we have fun.”
The lesson: What you project on the set is the treatment you select.
Lady Margaret Fisher
I have enjoyed watching Lady Margaret dance for a long time. Watching her on YouTube lit my fire and confirmed I had to visit Chicago to learn to dance like that. She was one of my Chicago contacts to get around the city on my first time there. I see Lady Margaret dance with men of all ages and she does not hold back and every time does “her” – flirtatious, provocative, having fun, unbothered, and young. I want to believe this is the meaning behind “Lady.”
When new men learning and new to stepping in Chicago talk to me on the set, I’m pointing, “Ask Lady Margaret to dance. You should not leave until you do.” I see how without saying a word she teaches the lead something new about what he is doing. She markets this dance every time she is on the wood.
The lesson: When I am not teaching, I am still showing you something.
Cynthia Bean
Cynthia Bean has been publishing the Steppers 411 since 1999 to let steppers know where to go stepping. She has contributed a quarter of a century of work and community building under her belt in the stepping community and continues to do so. I have been one of her subscribers for longer than I can remember. She has supported the launch of new products from livingthe8count and has been integral to the community acceptance and adoption of StepintheChi.org.
Countless times, she has pointed me to historical information, and other resources to contribute to what we are doing. Her newsletters and especially “Where Did Cynthia Go Last Weekend” are valuable stories of things going on for us. Her partnership and information sharing have been a godsend in critical moments and I don’t know where livingthe8count would be without her.
The lesson: Consistency and professionalism in your craft earn you respect and authority. This does not mean you stop working. You work harder because now you get others involved and bring them along the right way.
Sherry Gordon
Without an interview, I know a lot about Sherry Gordon because so many people share stories with me about her. Many steppers respect and admire her for her dedication, resilience, and setting fashion trends. People talk about her competitive spirit and her journey of multiple trips from Detroit to Chicago.
Her history with Chicago set a strong, proper foothold for her to develop a stepping community in Detroit with the energy to survive and thrive in a city already rich with other dance genres and styles. This is history. I watched her turn tough moments you want to miss in your life as stepping stones and comebacks for us to watch her grow and we love her even more for it. Oh, and she is one of the women I see who can dance with anyone.
The lesson: History does not start with me. History starts with us.
Candace Hayden
The tiebreaking dance off at the 2023 World’s Largest Steppers Contest between Tyk and Vickie and Stuart and Candace was a moment to be remembered. Imagine being the lady partner of the young, bold Stuart Clark who said to Pete Frazier, “Let’s dance” and the entire room explodes and cheers at his audacity. If I was his partner, please allow me to faint first, and collect myself before any dance off.
I am very proud of how Candace stood tall, smiled, and stepped up ready in the moment without blinking an eye. Candace showed what every contest partner is looking for in a woman. She is an inspiration to me. She took it all the way to the finish line with all her heart and soul and followed Stuart’s lead. This dance off is a time in our stepping history that steppers we will be talking about for a very long time. Congratulations!
The lesson: In partnership, loyalty means everything. Be ready to go all the way. Game face on, because they will remember us.
Thank you to these women for your courage and what you do to mark your spaces in time within the stepping community. It’s a beautiful thing to watch your work be a big part of what I love – Chicago Stepping. You are an inspiration for our community and show every stepper the power of a woman and our importance in the development and preservation of Chicago Stepping. Stay tuned for the rest of livingthe8count’s honorees for Women’s History month who have helped us get to 2024.
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HELLO, I AM SONJI
I saw stepping for the first time in Virginia and fell in love with the dance. I started traveling in 2012 and fell in love with the people, culture, and experience. Chicago stepping has taken me across the nation chasing its truths. I enjoy the chase. It has stirred my soul and healed me. These are my travel stories about Stepping.
LEARN TO STEP
- Explore the culture
- Enjoy the music
- Meet people
- Chase the experience
- Travel and learn
