I Love Steppin 5th Year Anniversary Steppers Weekend Review Back
Apr 28, 2013
by Tracey Bivens
The concept started at Sips Club five years ago in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Jeff Clark sat down with me and K-Mix (Kirk Peterson) and said that he wanted to ignite the start of a Saturday afternoon/evening steppers set. KP and I looked at each other and shook our heads at the idea. "Jeff, it’s been done before…it ain’t gonna stick!” "I don’t think that place is gonna be the right place for something like that!” Jeff listened to our comments and simply said, "Okay” in that quiet tone that he offers every single time you converse with him.
Thank God he didn’t listen because here we are five years later and Jeff Clark’s "I Love Steppin” franchise has grown into a weekly Saturdays steppers set at Firewater Bar & Grill II, with steppin paraphernalia to purchase and a yearly anniversary set which seems to have adopted the Shriners Silver Garden in Southfield as its home base.
Friday and Saturday night I Love Steppin 5th Year Anniversary sets brought with it over 700 steppers from Louisville, Indianapolis, Akron, Toledo, Cleveland, Lansing, Saginaw, Chicago, Flint, Oakland, Houston and of course the metro Detroiters. DJs Mykel "Shorty Smooth”, Andrea Mason "Butta”, and Detroit’s Paul Ross "The Boss” kept the floor steady with steppers (ha ha, no pun intended Larry Collins, of The Steady Steppers crew.)
If you ask me what the true highlight of Saturday evening was I would have to say it was the outfits. Jeff Clark is notorious for telling steppers to "come as they are” throughout the years but I think a lot of women interpreted that as "come in as little as you can” Saturday night. I’ll just leave it at that folks!
Sunday’s rainy noon brunch brought with it a line wrapped around the block at 11:45am and a sea of food. Approximately 350 people fit into Firewater Bar & Grill II to the sounds of Paul Ross "The Boss” for the next six hours. My applause goes out to the countless women who come out and support functions but who may only get to dance once…if that at all. You are the true she-roes of the steppers sets! However, you will have a hard time getting a dance when you have women who are now standing on the dance floor next to the guy they want to dance next with while he’s still dancing with someone else! Thank you Ed "Ed Lover” Donaldson for embracing many ladies with dances.
Most memorable moments: The lady who walked up to Detroit male stepper, TJ, and humbly told him that she just wanted to hug him after she watched him dance. The freestyle dance moment that had people running to the floor to represent their best body gyration. Thanks to Friends United for providing souvenir light up pens and the ultimate customer service at the brunch.
I was very happy to see many visitors and regulars on the steppers scene. Always showing love to my Omega bruh, Adisa Ambonsiye, Cliff "Big Slim” Reynolds, Frank, Ron, Darby "Mr. Debonair,” and Bobby of The Big Hat Gentlemen, Dave David and Tracy, Detroit’s steppin class of 2012, Miss Amanda Anderson, along with Victor A. James Sr., Maurice Thomas, Patrice Pye of "Sweetie Pye Productions”, Mary Canty, newly engaged Kishra Williams, Jeanene Hill, Tabaka Osonduagwuike, Kelly Roberts, Buford "Mistalocks” Collins, "DJ Steppin E” Emile, DJ Rockin Rodney Mack, Karen Ware and the "I Love Steppin” crew, Rose McDaniel and Deborah "Partypeople” Dixon.
At the end of the day, I think Jeff Clark likes being known as the one true promoter who doesn’t have to wear thousand dollar suits to bring people to his sets. He doesn’t have to serve a massive smorgasbord of food or say more than five words at a time (yall know what I’m talking about) nor does he have to present dozens of workshops or make big promises but come up with short deliveries. If Jeff ever considers changing his name, I think Simply Jeff would be most appropriate. Congratulations Jeff Clark!
