It is time to celebrate the women that are steppers. In the last month, I have been very excited about the growth in readership for livingthe8count.com. I am enjoying and the feedback from readers. Thank…
Contest season starts again in the Chicago steppin’ community. Although there are several contests in the community, to me “contest season” means getting ready for the World’s Largest Steppers Contest in September each year. For…
I wanted to know how steppers in Brasil started steppin’ and where they are in this dance. I met Evandro Ontiveros, one of the steppers in Brasil trying to strengthen the popularity of Chicago Style steppin’ in a country all the way in South America.
Leisha Rutledge’s business card says “Seamstress – Tailor – Dressmaker – Designer.” Fashion is her business and the 60% of her work from the steppin’ community is growing!
Here is the 2017 Year in Review/Recap. I decided to put together a video this year since it’s time for an upgrade. I hope you like it! Please leave your feedback in the comments or vote for the video.
Often new steppers ask me “Sonji, when should I start going to workshops?” or “Is it too early for me to start taking privates?” From my experience, there is no “right” answer to either question. From my eyes, every new stepper should have enough information and context to make a good decision on when it is time to try something new.
Sometimes the struggle to teach and learn to step Chicago Style rests with the paradigms and cultural differences that shape how we look at what is right in front of us. Two people can look at the same video of two steppers dancing and see it differently – walking away with different perceptions. Isn’t that the way it is with looking at any art? And, steppin’ Chicago style is an art.
Cynthia Catoe-Warren has been steppin’ Chicago style for a year now and is one of the steppers in my local area Hampton Roads, Virginia. I was thrilled when she told me she made it to her first weekend event in Arlington, Virginia at Steppin’ In Our Nation’s Capital Steppers – even if it was just for one day.
In the last two months I stopped blogging and several steppers have asked me what is happening with the blog. In the five years that I have been steppin’ and involved with this community, this is the first time that even my thoughts were so overshadowed by what other people were saying or doing. One thing hasn’t changed and that is my love for steppin’ and so for good reasons, I am breaking my silence.