Sprite Step-Off Update: ZTA and AKA to share 1st place

[mccoyred]

Originally Posted by srmom

In a competition like the Fiesta Bowl, two teams battle it out on the field. Nobody is judging the artistic content of the touchdowns. When and if the Step competitions become physical contests (like a race) with one set of clear winners with no subjectivity, then go back to big corporate sponsorship - otherwise there's likely to be more years of bad results.

When judging gets involved, it can be rife with controversy. In the case of the Sprite Step Show, it sounds like from beginning to end they didn't know what they were doing, hence having to go back and change results, which led to controversy.

They got celebrity judges, because it would make it more "marketable", but the judges had no idea about the context and history of the dance moves, so they went for the "shock" team - "Ooh! White girls dancing in Matrix outfits!" even though it had been done before and with the same steps (and better) according to the other thread.

I'm not taking anything away from the Zetas, I mean, they look pretty good to me! But, I can see where folks might be upset that "their steps" were co-opted. If alumni familiar with the history (and who "owns" the steps) had been judging, they would have been given props for the dance, but the prize would have gone to the original dancers of the steps.

(I've seen Bring It On - you don't use someone else's moves! )

We HAVE been around (collectively) for a century or so. SURELY there are at least a FEW celebrities who happen to be members of BGLOS....entertainers, corporate leaders, politicians, college presidents, etc.

[mccoyred]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

An interesting take on it all - http://www.theroot.com/views/can-we-...ping-ourselves

Thanks for the article and the videos; this is the first time I saw the performances because I refuse to give them YouTube hits.

Frankly, the ZTAs 'step'ped very hard and well BUT they forgot the 'show'. Stepshow performances are not just precision dance routines but typically include athleticism, personality and a little bit of trash talking, all of which are a big part of the cultural infusion and all of which were lacking in this performance. The AKA's performance was good, I wouldn't say award-winning though. If the judges were Greek or at least familiar with stepshows, the ZTAs would not have even placed, sorry!

[SWTXBelle]

It made the AP wire today.

[Wolfman]

In my opinion, any animus should be directed to Sprite not the UA ZTA Step Team. This whole thing was a business promotional; our (D9 orgs) has $$ in their eyes; but when you sign on to what mainstream Corporate America is doing you sign on to their agenda--never forget that! As Milton Friedman once said, "There's no free lunch."

On a broader note, this brings up the costs of operating in an "integrated" society. We, as black people, tended only to look at the benefits of access to institutions and services enjoyed by others but not the fact that this also meant that we would be some "assimilation" on our end. You can't have one without the other. The real issue is how this dynamic is navigated.

Sprite and corporate sponsors don't give a flip about the ethos and cultural aspects of Stepping and its history. They care about the "Benjamins." Bad publicity from this debacle, which may impact their bottom line, is what caused the change of decision. "Hate" for ZTA's performance and the first decision is misdirected.

[SWTXBelle]

It will be interesting to see if they repeat the competition next year.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by mccoyred

We HAVE been around (collectively) for a century or so. SURELY there are at least a FEW celebrities who happen to be members of BGLOS....entertainers, corporate leaders, politicians, college presidents, etc.

But that doesn't mean they know the intricacies of stepping. That I think is the real issue folx have with the judges.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

In my opinion, any animus should be directed to Sprite not the UA ZTA Step Team. This whole thing was a business promotional; our (D9 orgs) has $$ in their eyes; but when you sign on to what mainstream Corporate America is doing you sign on to their agenda--never forget that! As Milton Friedman once said, "There's no free lunch."

On a broader note, this brings up the costs of operating in an "integrated" society. We, as black people, tended only to look at the benefits of access to institutions and services enjoyed by others but not the fact that this also meant that we would be some "assimilation" on our end. You can't have one without the other. The real issue is how this dynamic is navigated.

Sprite and corporate sponsors don't give a flip about the ethos and cultural aspects of Stepping and its history. They care about the "Benjamins." Bad publicity from this debacle, which may impact their bottom line, is what caused the change of decision. "Hate" for ZTA's performance and the first decision is misdirected.

I generally agree with your statement except for the bolded. Trust, we know about the "assimilation" and it is not just "some" if you really want access.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

It will be interesting to see if they repeat the competition next year.

If they do, I'm sure they are going make sure the judges have stepping or at least some kind of dance experience.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

Let's not forget that some of the biggest step shows are alumni/alumnae sponsored.

Alumni/alumnae stepshows are the only ones that I attend.

(I also attend the occasional homecoming show. Occasional. I get tired of seeing collegiates for a number of reasons.)

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

In my opinion, any animus should be directed to Sprite not the UA ZTA Step Team. This whole thing was a business promotional; our (D9 orgs) has $$ in their eyes; but when you sign on to what mainstream Corporate America is doing you sign on to their agenda--never forget that! As Milton Friedman once said, "There's no free lunch."

On a broader note, this brings up the costs of operating in an "integrated" society. We, as black people, tended only to look at the benefits of access to institutions and services enjoyed by others but not the fact that this also meant that we would be some "assimilation" on our end. You can't have one without the other. The real issue is how this dynamic is navigated.

Sprite and corporate sponsors don't give a flip about the ethos and cultural aspects of Stepping and its history. They care about the "Benjamins." Bad publicity from this debacle, which may impact their bottom line, is what caused the change of decision. "Hate" for ZTA's performance and the first decision is misdirected.

I agree that some comments (not so much on GC but on places like youtube) have been over the top. That goes back to what I was saying earlier about how race plays out in society.

Other than that, I don't know why people are acting brand new. BGLO teams are often critiqued for lesser reasons. BGLO teams are also critiqued if they had the precision down but, some people think that something was missing from the routine.

Don't get me wrong, the more I watch the ZTA show (the 2008 Matrix performance was better than the 2010 one), the more I think it was an overall tight routine. But, a tight routine when you allegedly had a choreographer or some equivalent doesn't get respect in many BGLO circles. That's all speculation, though, and I don't directly blame ZTA because there are no "laws" of stepping. There's just perception and respect, and that's what some people are going based on.

Does anyone know whether this is the same team: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kajs9...eature=related

[SydneyK]

I hate sharing stories about how ridiculous my thought-process was in my early college days, but sometimes it's appropriate.

When I was a collegian, one of the other sororities on campus hosted a talent show each year as a philanthropy fund-raiser. One year, my roommate and sister (the only African American NPCer on campus at the time) taught us a step routine. We drove her to her wits' end, but she managed to teach us. We did that step routine at the talent show and were received with such mixed reviews. NPC orgs looked at us like we each had two heads; NPHC orgs were extremely supportive. We had anticipated a reception almost exactly opposite of that. We were afraid NPHC would think we were treading on "their" territory.

I was completely unaware of the cultural aspects of what we were doing on stage, and I didn't realize its historical significance, either. I still don't fully understand those things, but at least I recognize that they exist. Still, I was completely oblivious to it at 19. Perhaps the ladies of ZTA approached their routine from the same naieve mind-set. (Not approving what they did, just providing a possible reason for why they did it.)

Swerving back to my lane, now.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Does anyone know whether this is the same team: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kajs9...eature=related

Yes, it is.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by rhoyaltempest

Look familiar? LMMFAO!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qvY7...eature=related

I guess they put their heart into that one routine and teach that to every new team member. That may or may not be a bad thing and here's why...

For those who don't know (I know rhoyaltempest knows this ):

Step teams create routines and they sometimes have an "exhibition version" and a "competition version." Good shows take a very long time to create, teach, learn, and implement WELL (anyone can step like crap--stepping well takes some level of skill, dedication, and time).

If you are able to see a particular team in more than one performance (exhibition or competition), you will sometimes find that they have used the same performance for multiple shows within the calendar year. However, you won't find too many good teams that use the same competition-based show for two years in a row; and teach that exact show to all new members and new steppers. UNLESS it is a routine that they keep in their "vault" to perform for low-level shows like a "welcome back" event or chapter programs. Most campus and certain local shows aren't worth the time it takes to create new shows--so you pull stuff from the "vault" that you already know.

Now that ZTA has become known for that routine, thanks youtube , they will want to create a new one for future competitions. THEY, meaning not a choreography and/or a nonZTA. If they can pull that off without outside help and without stealing steps, I say GOOD LUCK, and if they win, I say CONGRATS.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by jojapeach

They even did a nice exhibition step between the end of the Ryan Cameron Old Skool/New Skool Step Show and the beginning of the Sprite Stepoff. They stepped together, then took off their sweatshirts to represent each D9 org and did their org's steps. It ended nicely by presenting each org's national president/representative on stage and being walked off with their two steppers. It was pretty cool.

I love this.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

It made the AP wire today.

Which probably would not happen it these were BGLO (NPHC or not) teams, even for a Sprite sponsored "the largest stepshow in the world". LOL.