Jacksonville State University - Mimosa Yearbook (Jacksonville, AL)

Page 24 text:

Fraternity brothers Anthony Reynolds. Stan Clark, and Harvey Robinson put on bright shining smiles to show how much Tun it is to step. As he steps along with them, cane-master, Steven Dowdley gives instructions to the brother steppers on just how to make their move. The brothers or Kappa Alpha Psi get in the groove as they “step their way along the street in front of the Student Commons Building. 20 Campus Life: Sleppin

Page 23 text:

Receptions at Mrs Montgomery's bring out the best in students. Betty Copclin. Tony Richie, and Sondra Os vs all arc no exception. Amy Holland, a sophomore art major from Decatur, goes for “good looks with a light lunch of a small salad and a diet soft drink. Renee Whitehead, a senior from Douglas, frowns as she peers into her bulging closet and realizes she has absolutely nothing to wear. Brett Jones, a Jacksonville State graduate assistant, strives hard to gain and maintain good looks through weekly workout routines. Campus Life: Lookin' good 19

Page 25 text:

Cane master Dowdley has nerve and rhythm to lead those men Listen—chants and taps echo Steve Dowdley chants the steps and taps his red and white canc as the other guys follow much the same way square dancers follow a call' cr. The only difference is that Dowdley doesn’t just call the steps; he shows the other members how to do them. The tapping and chanting arc part of a dance better known as steppin'. It is seen on college campuses across the country, primarily among black social fraternities. Dowdley. a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at Jacksonville State University and an avid “stepper, is the cane master of the group. As canc master, his job is to set the beat and coordinate the steps the other members arc to perform after he demonstrates them. You know those AKA's (Alpha Kappa Alpha’s), they wear the pink and green. It takes a Kappa man to make the women scream. chants Dowdley as he laps his cane on the pavement. The chants and taps echo on cool, clear evenings as the guys practice in front of various dorms. The fraternity members do not know exactly how steppin’ began, but they have an idea of how it originated. “Steppin' originated in the I950’s, Thad Clarke said. There are a lot of similarities between African folk dance and ’steppin’. What we do could be called mod- ern African folk dancing.” All of the members agree not just anyone can step. It takes a man with a brain to use a cane. ’ Rod Gun said of his skill. Besides brains, it lakes nerves, precision and unity to put on a good show. Steppers practice frequently and have different events at which to perform. The most exciting aspect of steppin’ is the real Greek shows which are sponsored to raise money for the fraternity. the members said. The flashing lights and crowd's roar make the adrenalin flow. No less than 300 people attend each show because usually only one show is sponsored each semester. When the crowd screams with excitement, we get psyched, Gun said. Usually each fraternity member has three or more girls who come to see him perform. White fraternities do not step, they said. Some white people step, but as a rule, the dance is restricted to the black community. “White pocple do not have the African heritage which is similar to steppin', Clark said. Some sororities step, too, but not as often as the fraternities. The chants and taps echo on cool, clear evenings as the guys practice their craft. Students often stop just to watch and admire the steppers. The guys like audiences, but are content just to shuffle along by themselves. Brother Rod Gun and Thad Clarke smile while showing off their talent as steppers to the ladies who came out to watch them perform. Randall Morgan, a fellow stepper, enjoys going it alone to show off some moves he has in front of the Theron Montgomery Building. Campus Life: Steppin' 21