Stepping Music is great

There is too much discrimination about the Music in the “steppers” partner dance community. There is a constant battle about stepping Music with too much static between the generations, leaving the true essence of the Music, the set, and sharing in the wide variety of Stepping Music lost.

Too much emphasis is on the “perfect” songs for a specific generation. At the same time, no one seems to have the patience for good Music where everyone, regardless of age, can dance in a sanctuary of togetherness. The beauty of my early experiences in the partner dance community was being exposed to and accepted by the more seasoned dancers willing to help anyone navigate the new experiences on the set. There are too many labels today with the Music that a good stepping song is hard to define. What is the role of today’s musical engineers?

Science and technology have wreaked havoc on defining a good stepping song. Influences from DJ producers and instructor teaching styles have also added confusion. One generation rejects the legacy in favor of growth and change. At the same time, the other generation attempts to preserve a legacy of great Music. And another generation is caught in between, trying to serve as a middle ground for the legacy and present generations. Historically, before 2003, Music was not an issue because the stepper sound and or stepper groove was something unique and different. Boppers, Steppers, and Walkers knew what good stepping music was because it was neither fast nor slow. The essential character of the Chicago Style of Stepping Music was smooth and mellow.

The Chicago Style of Partner dance music has a legacy that has been in place for at least five generations. I partied the way my parents and grandparents did. If my grandmother were alive and her favorite song came on, my muscle memory would direct me to imitate what she did in her youth regardless of the music genre. When my mother first introduced me to partner dancing, that early rhythm remained part of my muscle memory.

However, with the rise of the DJ as a music producer, I’ve noticed a shift in the quality of the Music played on sets. Many edited, remixed, and remastered songs that the DJs created and produced have made their way into the mainstream and played so much that people respond favorably to poorly produced and created musical art. If you keep continuously playing a song, the masses will eventually accept the creation. However, NOT EVERY SONG created and exposed in the Steppers community is a song that is appropriate to the culture or the legacy of Stepping. Many newly created pieces of musical art lack the original Chicago-style characteristics of being smooth and cool. This shift in the perception of what constitutes good Stepping Music in the partner dance community underscores the need for quality control in music production and selection.

Regarding a song being from the past or present, it doesn’t make a difference, primarily if you’ve NEVER heard a song in the first place. How would you know whether it is past or present? Some of my favorite songs to dance to are ones I had NEVER heard before going to a set. Many of those songs were released before l ever went to a set. If I’ve never listened to a song before and can dance to it, what difference does it make the year the artist released it? I listen to the lyrics and attempt to feel the orchestration. If I can feel the vibe from the song, I will dance to it regardless of when it was released. Good Music is Good Music.

Creating the right atmosphere for Boppers, Steppers, and Walkers is not rocket science but requires a skilled DJ. A good DJ understands the partner dance culture and plays Music that invites people to dance or connect with each other through their souls. A sound music engineer will combine familiar Music and introduce new Music to reach those new to the set. The bottom line is to thrive inside a sanctuary of social partner togetherness. A great DJ grasps the dynamics of the set and adapts to the room’s vibe. The great DJ strives to diversify partner dance music by incorporating other genres, keeping the partner dance culture vibrant and intact. As for the community standards, in the words of Funkadelic, ‘Free Your Mind and Your Ass will follow.’ The key is to keep playing good Music and not discriminate between past and present. Let all the Music play!