“This is gonna be somethin’ “SERIOUS”, I thought to myself as I walked into the colossal arena. On this particular day, the 19^th annual Florida Invitation Step Show, License to Step, would be held. After 6 years of being a die-hard step coach, it didn’t take much for me to be excited (I was amped just from being there) — I love this type of stuff. The seats seemed to extend to the ceiling, and the stage stood front and center, waiting to be the medium through which beautiful cadences would be played. For one of the first times in a long time, I was about to witness all nine NHPC teams take the stage with the sole intentions to show out.

Backstage, an exercise room back stage is where ALL the step teams sat after doing their walk-thrus (and with no issues whatsoever…hey I thought with 5Gs at stake there might be some trash talking, but they were all perfectly behaved…not unity- but far, far from division). On the other side of a partition was an area paneled with mirrors, where they took turns practicing, looking for the slightest imperfections to rectify. Soon, the battle would be on.

(Hi-speed Fast-forward to the show) All of the performances were great (some more than others, clearly). I got to witness everything from Iota Phi Theta doing what I call “Transteps” (what I consider moving to new positions constantly while stepping — which is a tiring feat. I see it like they do transitions in the middle of stepping. Beyond your stepping while moving back and forth type deals- I’m talking diagonal lines, X’s, circles and boxes all of this in one step-of course I feel like complexity suffered because of this but the spectacle in my opinion compensated) to the Chi Theta chapter of Omega Psi Phi doing a show based on Malcolm X’s and his assassination -- very creative. These boys had to be some of the cleanest hoppers in Omega Psi Phi. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi or Zeta Phi Beta perform (hey I was pumping iSteptoo.com, you know how we do); however I am certain that they were beasts, since all top notch teams were involved. I was able to speak to members of all the teams and I want to thank you all for showing iSteptoo.com love.

If I told you about each team’s show, that would be like 10 blogs. So, I’m just going to tell of the winning teams: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

The Chi chapter of Phi Beta Sigma’s theme was them being on the Maury Povich show for what was supposed to be a makeover for the fraternity members but was a cover up for one of them being accused of having an illegitimate child for a ghetto girl (who was played by a guy complete with big belly and beard, DRESSED like a girl…dressed terribly at that). Their intro video came on with a young lady expressing her disdain for Sigma’s and the way they stereotypically act- always strolling, wearing blue, and being all around lame as she put it. The video showed them re-enacting these traits as she described them- of course it was pure satire and pure comedy. They then suavely entered the stage with sexual seduction and throughout their show made the stage that medium I spoke of earlier. The crowd laughed at the funny parts i.e. the alleged baby-mama rushing the stage and they Ahh’ed at the clean steps-mostly their one-legged step. There was not a weak moment in their show-except for a step and ripple done to Kanye’s Flashing Lights, I wasn’t too crazy bout that one. That make-over from Maury worked because these guys left that night with numbers…a 5 and three 0’s.

The winner for best sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc was magical- literally. There theme was a magic show and these beautiful ladies were the magicians. There show began with a video intro as well. A very well put together explanation of who they are and what they were about to do. They came out of these huge slinky-like tubes and took the stage, all 13 of them I believe it was. From their formations (more steppers equals more options when it comes to formations) to their precision (it’s harder to get a lot of steppers to look alike), they had the ultimate disappearing act in mind — them disappearing with that five thousand dollar check. The only thing that left me a bit unfulfilled with their show was the end-their show simply ended. There was no climax, just what seemed to a premature exit. Now a little birdie told me that this was a show they’d done for their homecoming step show but it had some dissing of other sororities (which apparently are not allowed in the FISS) and took them out- hence their show being shorter than expected (but unless those disses were the finale, it doesn’t quite explain the anticlimactic end). But nonetheless they did a phenomenal job of pulling a winning show out of their hat.
Unfortunately, there was a lot that I didn’t touch on from the show like the very beginning with the unity step or an examination of the shows I was able to watch. If ever you get the chance to participate in or attend the Florida Invitation Step Show: License to Step, I recommend you step up to the experience.