The Chicago Tribune has a very sweet story about the phenomenon of stepping, a vernacular African-american social dance very closely related to lindy hop. Typically danced to soul and R&B music, stepping is a much more smoothed out and relaxed dance with a looser connection between the lead and follow. As the Tribune describes it:
Stepping — or bopping or soul walking — is bigger today than ever,
evidenced here by the scores of bars and clubs that offer step nights
and classes. And if you head out of town, you’ll see that L.A., New
York, Miami, Atlanta and even the U.K. cater to a large community of
steppers, and host tons of competitions, classes and dance nights. It’s
perhaps one of Chicago’s biggest pop-culture contributions.
Essentially, it’s attitude choreographed to a good groove. Sure, there are maneuvers and circular side-by-side patterns that
define it, but this is a dance that is centered in the strut and
emotion of it all…. You’ll see it just about anywhere in the city that’s playing smoothed-out soul music.
Check out the whole article and video for a flavor of this cool dance. I imagine that’s what I’ll be dancing like when my knees finally give out.
Speaking of Chicago Stepping, there is a great travel agency putting on an adult “STEP’N to a pre-SWEETEST DAY GETAWAY Cruise” in October. Most stepping cruise events have beginners lessons and other novice events. This particular agency focuses on those who just dance (Chicago-Style Steppin’). The are one of the few travel agencies who focus solely on the “experience”, not necessarily the schedule. Come as you are, do what you want and just be yourself. Although each experience is unique and the agency gets rave reviews, their group travel seems to venture into freedom vice absolute structure. I would recommend the October 2008 trip for anyone just interested in having fun. The event is posted in a flyer on their website at http://www.travelstrawberry.com/Other/StepN%20Flyer.pdf
Their general website is http://www.travelstrawberry.com
Once you communicate your intent, this agency go all out to provide you tons of useful information and a private link to cruise updates and execellent ‘need-to-know’ stuff.