A wave of excitement and energy rushed through the Holland Bowl at the Freshman Step Show on Aug. 19.

Students gathered around the stage and the outer areas of the bowl to witness the first Pan-Hellenic step show of the year. Fraternities and sororities awaited their turn to take the stage.

“Step” is not a new concept and is not only performed by fraternities and sororities. The history of stepping is traced back to African roots.

Many of the movements and rhythms of stepping are sampled from dances performed in Africa.

The closest similarity to stepping would be in South Africa where the “Gumboot Dance” originated. The hand-clapping and foot movements of the “Gumboot Dance” exhibit the movements displayed today, but to different rhythms and sounds.

Over the years, different forms of stepping made its way onto “the yard.” On college campuses, stepping originally started as singing. Fraternities would gather together in a common area and sing.

During the 1950’s and 60’s, fraternities imitated the dance steps from R&B soul groups such as the Temptations and Four Tops. The members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. were the first to “step” and sororities followed soon after.

Stepping today includes fundamentals from tap, gymnastics, cheerleading and elements from other dance styles and movements.

On Friday, the student body laughed, danced and sang as the freshmen were formally introduced to the Greek organizations on A&T’s campus.

New Greek members, who were initiated in the spring, had the opportunity to display their skills for the first time.

Senior architectural engineering major, Jermaine White, was initiated as a member of the Beta Epsilon chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. in spring 2005. As a new member, White is already fond of stepping.

“[Stepping is] an adrenaline rush.,” White said. “I felt very pumped.”

White said that stepping is a great experience.

“I wish everyone could do it,” he said.

The student body had a chance to dance and represent their hometowns when members of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.sampled dances from various cities of the U.S.

“We wanted every area to feel represented. Sigma means the summation of all. We wanted to hit every point in the U.S. so no one would feel left out,” said Brandon Nehilla, Phi Beta Sigma member.

While some groups step, others hop. Jonathan Toulon, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.’s Hopmaster, described the difference between stepping and hopping.

Toulon said that stepping takes place on the ground and hopping takes place in the air.

“It feels like I’m free; I zone out,” Toulon said. ” I can hear no one but everyone can hear me.” Toulon said that to him, hoppping is second to sleep.

Toulon is a senior, electronic computer technology major whose duties as Hopmaster include teaching and creating “hop shows.”

The participants in the step show included the Beta Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc..; the Alpha Nu Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. ; the Mu Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. ; the Eta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., the Zeta Alpha Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.; the Alpha Phi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Gamma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

“Anybody can step, but you have to have a passion for it,” said Joshua Canzater, Stepmaster for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

• Christie Cooper