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February 16, 2007

Step into Homecoming for a Thumping Good Time

Students and alumni are invited to watch organizations compete in the Step Show

Story by: Rebeka Baltazar

The Shorthorn staff

The Shorthorn: File Art

Winners of the Mav Step-Off, the Black Student Association, show their spirit at the University Center Rosebud Theatre last year.

Groups of students will go before an audience at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the University Center Rosebud Theatre and perform rhythmic dancing to compete and win an $800 prize.

The Maverick Step Show began five years ago and has become a Homecoming tradition.

Rooted in African heritage, stepping is a coordinated dance movement involving stomping on stage for a coordinated sound, said Homecoming Committee member Jasmine Stewart.

“The people that step are usually the Greeks, predominately the National Pan-Hellenic Council sororities and fraternities,” she said.

Stewart has judged for the show in previous years.

The judge panel usually includes three or four university faculty and staff members.

“I do hope that a lot of our students come out, and I hope that all the students that perform do well and that this event can continue to be a strong portion of the Homecoming festivities,” she said.

Three organizations have entered the competition so far. The participants’ names will not be released until the day of the competition.

“Let’s make it a surprise,” said Carter Bedford, Student Governance and Organizations associate director. “I hear rumor and conjecture that more are practicing, and they’re afraid to turn in the application because they don’t know how good they’re going to be.”

Team practices will be held in the theater Sunday and Monday evenings, so that the organizations participating can get a feel for what their performance will be like, Bedford said.

Anyone is welcome to participate. Rules for the show prohibit pyrotechnics, obscene gestures and profanity, the presence of which will result in automatic disqualification.

More information is available on the Homecoming Web site at http://www.uta.edu/homecoming.

The committee hopes to simulcast the performances, so that everyone can view the show, and encourages housing and other campus organizations to participate, Stewart said.

“I think people should come, if nothing else, to support Homecoming,” she said. “They should choose to come out and support every event that the university is hosting this week.”

Mike Taddesse, Greek Life and university events program coordinator, called the show an incentive to bring alumni to Homecoming.

“It gives students here at the university that enjoy stepping in step routines an opportunity to enjoy their local groups,” he said.