Community News B 1 A unique African-American style Winston-Salem groups to host National Stepshow competition Chronicle Staff Report The Xi Eta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., of Wake Forest University, and Big^ Brothers/Big Sisters of Forsyth County will co-host the National Stepshow Association's 1991 Championships. The ? ? Photo by Keith Bel ton Keith Belton, president of the National Stepshow Association, Is well-versed In the rich cultural history of the African American stepshow. aimed at black youth. "We are fortunate that the top-ranked chapters are in the South eastern region/1 he said. "The kids should really enjoy the event." The Eta chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fra ternity, Inc., North Carolina A&T State University, is currently the number one ranked fraternity chapter and is the defending champion. Hampton Uni versity's chapter of Omega Psi Phi won that fraternity's national compe tition last summer in Detroit. The Alpha Phi Alpha chapter of the Uni versity of Virginia is the Alpha East em region champion. There is cur rently not a number one ranked sorority chapter, but the Virginia State University chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., has one of the strongest chapters on the East Coast. Several other chapters will be competing. The National Stepshow Associ ation is a student-run, nonprofit organization founded by black Greeks at the University of North Carolina and Duke University. It has since spread to campuses across the state. The organization seeks to end the exploitation of students, some thing that fiTas developed with the rise of stepping's popularity. Initiated by black Greeks in the 1940s, this uniquely African-American colle giate dance form combines the preci sion of a military drill team, African second annual championships will bring several of the top-ranked fraternity and sorority chapter stepteams to Winston Salem. The event will be held Saturday, Mar. 23, at 7 p.m. in Reynolds Auditorium, )n the campus of Reynolds High School, and will benefit a scholarship fund for stu dents in the Piedmont. "Xi Eta and Big Brothers/Big Sisters are really working hard to coordinate an exciting event," stated Xi Eta chapter presi dent Kevin Hawkins. The chapter will invite Little Brothers and Little Sisters to the stepshow as part of the fraternity's "Go to High School, Go to College" program call-and-response, and with modern dance choreography set to music. Since the early 1980s, there has been a great increase in the number of stepshows that are not student directed. The larger stepshows held in Atlanta, Philadelphia, and New York raise in excess of $35,000, yet a majority of the funds are pocketed by the for-profit promot er. "We see stepshows as a means to cre atively fund community service," explained Keith Belton, president of the National Stepshow Association (NSA). Belton, a recent UNC graduate, researched the histor ical context and economic circumstances of stepshows for his senior independent study in African-American history. The results of his research encouraged him and several other students to create the NSA last spring. "Several for-profit stepshows generate in excess of $50,000, and students receive less than $5,000. We thought students need for Greeks to work together in the commu nity to make a positive impact," he added. He cited the success of the UCLA Black Greek Council's annual spring stepshow _ which has generated $135,000 for a minori ty campus scholarship fund over the last . two years as an example. Xi Eta chapter member, Michael Wat community should be done with those pro ceeds," asserted the sophomore from New York City. "This Winston-Salem event allows us to work with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and raise funds for a community^ scholarship fund. Other students like this idea," he said. "When I have informed Greeks at other schools about the NSA and "We see stepshows as a means to creatively fund community service. " -Keith Belton ;