YakimaGulagLiteraryGazett

Steppin' is about the tradition of dance mostly performed by members of Black American fraternities and sororities, it is more correct to say 'historically Black' since sometimes they do accept White pledges.
One of the ways they bond, publicise their fraternities and have a good time is by perfomring a type of dance called 'stepping' Shows where there are many frats participating are called 'step shows'.
Now dance unaccompanied by instrumental music is not an ENTIRELY African American thing. Step damceomg am Irish dance style started off unaccompanied, and there is in the Balkans the 'silent kolo' which is claimed by both Serbs and Croats. These dance traditions are all quite different, from different ethnicities and races, differing religious groups, but ONE importatn thing is in common.
The groups which have these dance traditions have been oppressed seriously at some point in their history and have been denied at some point in their history the use of musical instruments.
As well this type of dance tends whether it is the Afro-American 'stepping' or the Irish step dancing, or the various forms of silent kolo, to emphisize body posture appropriate to military training.
In fact it was almost like a form of close order drill in the case of all three of these traditions. There is a defiant aspect to it.
In the case of Irish step danceing you seldom meet a Protestant Loyalist who is involved with it, it's almost entirely a Catholic thing. In urban Irish American populations there was a very strong association between step danceing and militant Irish nationalism. In fact this connection was so marked that the FBI used to investigate step danceing classes and associations in order to detect more ardent Irish nationalist sympathizers, the sort that might for example give money to, or join the IRA.
Now with Black Americans one interesting thing I learned about stepping is that the first fraternity to form a milittary training group for Black youth interested in joining the U.S. Army was Omega Chi Fi. They really are something to watch in performance I might add, you can't beat royal blue athletic shirts emblazoned with their letters, along with BDU pants and get this GOLD combat boots! On really buff African American male bodies, it's visually stunning! So were their routines.
they formed an organization that led to the ROTC. A lot of their members ended up being military officers both before and after the desegregation of the U.S. military by President Truman.
The film covered the question of Black sororities too. That was of interest because the style that resembles military drill is retained but the girls of course are more graceful, and pay attention to haveing nice outfits in their sororoity colors.
Most of the 'music' was from feet, slaps to differing parts of the body, or shouts and responses, but some musical accompaniment has come in.
I did not know that the 'Ice Ice baby ' thing had it's start in this either.
It was cool.
I feel bad missing the first of the films, since only one person went. I had a horrid migraine, I would also have liked to see the Austin Lounge Lizards the same night but really that kind of pain you just are a wet noodle rolled in dirt.
Next two films I'm going definately.
There's been an effort to bring Ebony back as a club at the Yakima gulag People's Institute of Higher Re:Education.
I've wanted to start a Slavic Heritage club. As I've been there, there are a lot of third gen people who know absolutely nothing about their assorted Slavic heritages, who are curious. It could be fun to rent movies to view, like 'No Man's Land' or 'Battle of the Neretva' or 'The Incredible Lightness of Being' or 'the Don Kossacks' or other films.
I'm going to be gone by the time I even have time to do such a thing.