Stepping and strolling are a part of NPHC organizations' histories

This spring, National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)  plans to host a Stroll Competition and a Yard Show. The Stroll Competition will be held on March 27th in the Student Union Atrium from 7 to 11 p.m. Admission is free of charge. The contest will feature members of the Divine Nine (which makes up NPHC), who will compete in a stroll-off competition for a prize. On April 11th, NPHC is hosting a Yard Show from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Woods Basketball Court, featuring the organizations of NPHC. The event is “to show the WSU student body what our organization stands for and what it means to us,” says NPHC President Allante Booker. Booker also notes that there will be stepping, chanting, and strolling. Some of you might be wondering just what stepping and strolling are. Strolling, which is also called “party walk” is a synchronized dance performed in a line to a specific song. Stepping on the other hand is a form of dance in which the dancers use their bodies as instruments to create rhythms of their own.

According to the website for the Association of College Unions International, stepping and strolling first appeared on the Greek scene in the 1925, when pledges for Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi were seen “dancing to invisible music.” However, stepping and strolling were not named or widely recognized until the 1970s. Both dance forms have their roots in African folk tradition, most notably gumboot dancing. Gumboot dancing began with miners in South Africa who weren’t allowed to speak while working. Instead, they used their boots and their bodies to communicate through creating rhythms. Still, stepping and strolling are more than just tradition: they are also a way for members of some Greek organizations to team up and show unity and solidarity not only within their organizations, but among them as well.

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