Soulstepping: AFRICAN AMERICAN STEP SHOWS (Hardcover)

by Elizabeth C. Fine (Author) "People give widely varying answers to the simple question of when and where stepping began..." (more)
Key Phrases: stepping originated, stepping competition, handclap games, Howard University, African American, Alpha Phi Alpha (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
ADVANCE PRAISE "Elizabeth Fine takes us on a journey of discovery with Soulstepping, all the way back to its African roots and all the way up to our moment. All groups have dance steps that the group performs together for the pure joy of celebrating life. Soulstepping brings out that joy, that exhilaration, that love of life. This celebration is long overdue." -- Nikki Giovanni, poet "Elizabeth Fine has produced a labor of love. Soulstepping is thorough and true to the African American spirit she discovered more completely as she traveled through history to bring to light this remarkable phenomenon, one that would otherwise exist only for those fortunate enough to have been present late at night perhaps at an African American fraternity or sorority event on an American college or university campus." -- Michael V. W. Gordon, Professor of Music Emeritus at Indiana University School of Music and First Executive Director of the National Pan-Hellenic Council REVIEWS "The history, culture, politics, and art of this African-American performance artform is examined in-depth; with black-and-white photographs embellish this impressively, scholarly, highly recommended contribution to Black American cultural studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists."--Bookwatch

Review

“Elizabeth Fine takes us on a journey of discovery with Soulstepping, all the way back to its African roots and all the way up to our moment. All groups have dance steps that the group performs together for the pure joy of celebrating life. Soulstepping brings out that joy, that exhilaration, that love of life. This celebration is long overdue.”--Nikki Giovanni

“Elizabeth Fine has produced a labor of love. Soulstepping is thorough and true to the African American spirit she discovered more completely as she traveled through history to bring to light this remarkable phenomenon, one that would otherwise exist only for those fortunate enough to have been present late at night perhaps at an African American fraternity or sorority event on an American college or university campus.”--Michael V. W. Gordon, Professor of Music Emeritus at Indiana University School of Music and First Executive Director of the National Pan-Hellenic Council

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press (November 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252024753
• ISBN-13: 978-0252024757
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,100,922 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is one of a kind., September 20, 2005

By	R. Johnson "CaptDST" (Dayton, Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I enjoyed this book because it took me back in history to the roots of stepping. It connected me to my African and African-American Ancestors. It helped me relive my soul-stepping days as a Delta in Lambda Chapter in Chicago. Stepping is a tradition that has been passed on from generation to generation. Sororities and fraternities are known for their particular steps. Now, non-Greeks are stepping too. It is great to see how stepping has evolved and this book has captured the traditions of stepping. The first copy I bought was for me. The next book will be for my daughter in college so that she can have her own copy. Hats off to the author!

4.0 out of 5 stars A Different Perspective, February 8, 2007

By	Shamontiel L. Vaughn "Web Editor, Author, Rev... (Chicago) - See all my reviews

Pros: I've been on this constant mission to find out more about Greek stepping after seeing "Stomp the Yard." I'm not quite sure why, considering I went to an HBCU and saw plenty of it, as well as being addicted to shows like "A Different World," but I've found so many books that give me a deeper perspective on the topic and this would be one of them. I enjoyed this book. It talked about the controversy between the African American nonGreek community and African American Greeks; the issue with representing African culture but using Greek letters; whether nonGreeks should be able to step; the light-skinned versus dark-skinned perspective in Spike Lee's "School Daze" movie; a little bit of hazing; the Greeks of the 50s and 60s who completely disagree with the idea that stepping came from African culture; and the dance of juba, which played a great part in the creation of stepping. I thought the book was going to be just about stepping, but I didn't expect so many debates to be covered as well. I enjoyed reading about how Greeks felt about other cultures learning how to step, as well as nonGreeks. That was something I'd always wondered about but never felt the need to ask.

Cons: I wasn't so much interested in reading about church step groups. Not to be disrespectful, but I was looking for the perspective of BGOs, not other cultures or groups. I do understand why the author covered all the territory.

Comment: She did such a great job of the research, especially considering her "mamma didn't tell her about A Phi A," and she is a white woman who was not previously introduced to the subject. In the antecdote about the black man asking her why she wasn't studying polka instead of step, she didn't dodge the topic of what readers may wonder but are too nice to mention. Great job!

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History, culture, politics, and art, April 13, 2003

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Soulstepping: African American Step Shows by Elizabeth C. Fine (Associate Professor in the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies and Director of the Humanities Program, Virginia Tech) is an informed and informative introduction to a complex and unique form of performance that blends dance, percussion, chanting, drama, initially developed by African-American fraternities and sororities, and has evolved to now being practiced and performed worldwide. The history, culture, politics, and art of this African-American performance artform is examined in-depth; with black-and-white photographs embellish this impressively, scholarly, highly recommended contribution to Black American cultural studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.