Chicago stories of the Stepping dance community in the heart of the city itself. Meet people who are born in Chicago and live and step there, also from other steppers who moved from other cities to call Chicago home. Gain a different perspective on the dance to understand the vibe and culture of the Stepping community. Find out what Chicago is doing to keep the stepping culture relevant and growing. And, learn about the movements in Chicago that keep the proliferation of Stepping to other cities across the country alive.
Reading Time: 3 minutes As soon as Pete Frazier of the Majestic Gents posted the 2025 World’s Largest Prelims schedule on Facebook, I took a deep dive. Some things about the contest have changed based on what I understood…
Reading Time: 4 minutes Kim Bowie, a legend in the Chicago Stepping community, gained his wings on Saturday, March 1, 2025. The announcement on Saturday sent a shockwave through our community. Videos, photos, posts, and interviews flooded social media…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Jannice Robertson (RIP) would crack me up every time, with, “Don’t watch me. Watch TV!” Well, how about, “Watch me ON TV!” That’s right! WGN TV Chicago wants to highlight Chicago Stepping for their history…
Reading Time: 5 minutes I have celebrated my birthday in Chicago for the past five years. 2024 is my first time writing about my birthday celebration on the blog instead of on social media. Every May I spend one…
Reading Time: 8 minutes It’s been a year and a half since I moved to the Atlanta Metropolitan area. Let me tell you, it has opened my eyes to some amazing aspects of this Stepping community! It’s like seeing…
Reading Time: 11 minutes Delores King is from Chicago and has been stepping for 20-plus years. She launched the organization Livin’ Through the Lenz NP and has a message for the stepping community, but who is Delores King? Delores…
Reading Time: 7 minutes Going to and learning in Donnie Davis’ class has been integral to my stepping journey. I have never lived in Chicago, but Donnie Davis’ class is where I go every so often to be in…
Reading Time: 3 minutes The stepping community mourns the passing of Willie “Casper” Perry and celebrates his life. The tremendous outpour of condolences and memories on social media from friends and family and on worldwide media showed the life…
Reading Time: 7 minutes INSPIRATION: A CELEBRATION OF MY TEN YEARS OF KEEPING UP WITH THE WLSC Sometimes in blog interviews, I ask guests to flash forward and imagine what things might be like in ten years compared to…
Reading Time: 9 minutes A stepper weekend trip to Chicago is incomplete unless it starts in the middle of the week with Work It Out Wednesday at Visions with The Davneys. This is one of the most popular weekly…
Reading Time: 8 minutes INSPIRED BY: THE STEPPERS, YOUNG AND OLD, WHO KEEP IT ORIGINAL DESPITE THE EVOLUTION OF STEPPING When I first started traveling to Chicago and witnessed Original Stepping on the set, one person that stood out…
Reading Time: 4 minutes I remember seeing Charlsie Hylick for the first time on a Friday night at East of the Ryan. She was traveling around the dancefloor with Nikee. She was memorable because she was sexy, artistic, and…
Reading Time: 14 minutes INSPIRED BY: A RESPONSE TO ME STEPPING TO GOSPEL MUSIC Almost every seat was taken at the Sunday Brunch at Carolina Summer Nights in Durham, NC, but the dancefloor was empty. I heard a beautiful…
Reading Time: 8 minutes INSPIRED BY: AN EVENING OF ELEGANCE CELEBRATING WOMEN IN STEPPING All this summer, steppers anxiously awaited Silhouettes of Stilettos, the new “Oscars of Stepping.” This black-tie, red-carpet event was an evening to recognize and celebrate…
Reading Time: 10 minutes INSPIRED BY THE RENOVATION OF THE LADIES’ RESTROOMS AT THE FIFTY IN CHICAGO The name of a place, a street, or a neighborhood can elicit powerful nostalgia and trigger memories for many people I have…
Reading Time: 10 minutes The best part of Chicago Stepping to me is that it can be a lifelong hobby. No matter when you start stepping you can continue to learn and grow for decades. If you are someone…
Reading Time: 6 minutes What I will remember about the 2022 World’s Largest Steppers Contest are the resurgence of dancers, the familiar pattern of winners but other emerging contestants, the coincidental opulent fashion on stage, and the buffering social…
Reading Time: 9 minutes 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…