Stepping, which is deeply rooted in the tradition of historically Black Fraternities, has moved into the mainstream. At the Sprite Step Off, a traditionally white sorority with all white members, Zeta Tau Alpha won the $100,000 prize. Bossip was in the audience and they agreed that Zeta Tau Alpha “brought it.”
This can be considered of another example of how Black culture becomes mainstream and becomes appropriated by Caucasian people and becomes a greater part of American culture as a whole.
Judge for yourself, here is Zeta Tau Alpha, stepping along with videos of performances from the AKAs, Deltas and Alphas.
Delta Sigma Theta
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha
2 comments:
As a Panhellenic sorority woman (the umbrella organization that Zeta Tau Alpha belongs to, although I am not a ZTA) I am slightly appalled that you would reference ZTA as a "White" Sorority. I attended a school with a Panhellenic (NPC), Interfraternity (IFC), and National Pan-Hellenic (NPHC) councils. While NPHC groups are historically African American, they are not exclusively African American, and I had a few friends who were "white" that belonged to these groups. Additionally, both NPC and IFC groups welcome Members of all nationalities, religions, and races. You are correct that NPHC groups have certainly brought the art of stepping to the mainstream, especially in terms of Greek life, and the NPHC step show at my school was wildly popular and very well attended by Greeks and Non-Greeks alike- in fact they shared this art with NPC and IFC groups by creating teams with members from all different houses to do small routines in between the main acts. It was very successful, fun, and well received. (Also, as a side note, the picture you show of the ZTA chapter does not appear to have ALL white members)
"This can be considered of another example of how Black culture becomes mainstream and becomes appropriated by Caucasian people and becomes a greater part of American culture as a whole."
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on whether or not this is a good thing, as reaction is understandably mixed.
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