I Love Steppin 4th Year Anniversary Review Back
Apr 30, 2012
By Tracey Bivens
Jeff Clark has almost made it to the 5 year mark as a steppin promoter, apparel designer, stepper and steppin social network liaison. In the last four years, Clark has managed to capture the hearts, respect and loyalties of followers from around the country. His quiet and "take me as I am” disposition has always been displayed at his anniversary parties. No fancy suits, no entourage…just Jeff. This year was no exception. The I Love Steppin brand never promises a whole lot of extras because it does not represent "I Love Workshops” or "I Love Shopping” or "I Love Sightseeing” but Jeff’s philosophy has always managed to hold on to what brought more than 500 people to the Southfield Shriners Silver Garden this weekend. Pure, unadulterated…steppin!
I must hand it to the steppers. Coming off of the Dancin’ Dons and Divas Black Out and the Heritage Ball in Atlanta, the Midwest posse has definitely been representing along with the east and west coasts this year. Both Friday and Saturday nights featured DJ Shorty Smooth and introduced Detroit’s Hamil "DJ Hammer” Young who won a guest DJ spot from a contest held by the Detroit Steppers Network earlier this year. The Steady Steppers were also in the house as was James Pacely, Lynne "Ms. Cheesecake” Batten, the Big Hat Gentlemen and Upscale Dance Productions.
For the second time around, this venue presented adequate seating, air and dance floor space for all. As I understand it, one person rumbled about going up and down the stairs to the dance floor, however the numbers of attendees increased from last year at the SAME venue. In the end, I guess the stairs didn’t matter and neither did this person’s opinion.
As always, it was good to see the usual suspects in the building along with Pete Frazier, Keith Hubbard, Cliff "Big Slim” Reynolds, Cleveland’s DJ Butta "Andrea Mason, all the way from the Oakland, Cali…Mr. Adisa Amboniyse (yes he looks just like his pictures ladies…wow!), Columbus’ Own, Victor A. James Sr. and Nikola Thomas, Toledo’s Mind, Body & Soul, Miami Steve, Sonia Loves Steppin, Drewry Alexander, Feo Duncan, Keesha Anderson, Candace Hinton, Ira and Gail Blakely, Chicago’s DramaFree Izme, Maurice "Smoke” Dixon, steppers from Baltimore, Memphis, New Jersey, and St. Louis was in the house along with Kirk Pacley and Devan Powe representing GDI of Atlanta. A host of other steppers were also in the house representing this life!
On Sunday, Friends United featured a top of the line all day long buffet to satisfy even the finickiest of eaters. For $10, you got to sample 18 different entrees, salads, desserts and other miscellaneous items in the fat room…I mean the back room. I saw group member, Sherry Gordon, giving complimentary bussing services by throwing away empty plates and dancing in between songs. To help counter the gluttony, the crowd had an opportunity to dance off the food to the sounds of DJ Paul Ross "The Boss”. The highlight of the brunch for me came when Detroit stepper, Kirk Peterson, was steppin with an out of town guest and after looking at his footwork, she stood with her hands on her hips and stopped dancing, laughed and said, "Now that’s what I paid my money for. Work them feet boy!”
At the end of the brunch, everyone waddled to their cars or were whisked off to the airport with promises made to come back at the end of the month for the White Party to do it all over again. Debbie Rhodes of Cleveland sat next to me at the brunch and said something that I thought was rather profound. "You know Tracey, I can see the evolution of this steppin community. Detroit has always been generous with sharing the knowledge of this dance, but now I’m starting to see more steppers from Chicago and other cities opening up and sharing the knowledge freely as well. This is what makes the dance fun for me.”
I think Jeff Clark said it best when he stood outside watching women to their cars and someone asked him if he was pleased with this weekend’s turnout and as always Jeff Clark kept it simple. He smiled and replied…"Yes.”
