Steppers show their stuff at WCMS

It was stepping time at Warren County Middle School last Saturday night.  In celebration of Black History Month the middle school held the Warrior Stepshow.  Step teams from elementary, middle schools and high schools from around the area gathered to show their skills. 

The teams were judged on creativity, originality, precision, clarity, complexity, difficulty, unity, synchronization, enthusiasm and overall performance.  A single performance consisted of several mini sets of choreographed, rhythmic movements incorporating clapping, taps, stomps and hops. 

Every team had a theme to their performance.  Some teams had flashy costumes to add to their theme, others were dressed simply, but if you came for the way they dressed you would have missed out on a group of admirable performances. 

You also missed out on watching youngsters with determination in their eyes and desire in the minds to do the best they could. There were few smiles; to them it seemed more important to focus on what they were doing.

There was a brief moment when one of the young ladies got her high heel caught in the uneven tarp on the gym floor for protection.  She lost a step or two, continued to smile and then joined the others never losing sight of what she was supposed to be doing.     

Each team drew the crowd into their performance with stomping, clapping and shout- outs to their favorite team or individuals.  At times it was hard to tell who was enjoying themselves more the crowd or the kids.

During a brief intermission Richard Smith, the MC read several shout outs (messages) from those in attendance. 

Each performance was a compilation of mini shows.  The Soul Steppers, from Pinkston Street Elementary School in Henderson, started out with a young man and a young lady talking, she was putting him off.  At the end of their routine the young couple takes side stage again and she stands their with her back to him checking her nails as if to say go away.

The host squad, the Warren County Middle School, came out in purple blouses and black slacks.  Several team members came from other schools in the district; they all came to put on a show. 

They put on a good performance but they also got the best crowd reaction when they lined up in front of the judges and each lady showed the judges there individual moves.  This was one time when you had to say, I didn’t know they could move like that.

Prior to awarding the trophies Smith told the groups that they were all winners.

The trophies went to: elementary division – 1st place was Mighty Saints, After School Program from Rocky Mount;  2nd place Soul Steppers, Pinkston Street Elementary School, Henderson; and 3rd place to Creedmoor Elementary School, Creedmoor.

In the middle school division - 1st place went to EMS Steppers, Edwards Middle School, Rocky Mount; 2nd place to Warren County Middle School, Warrenton; and 3rd place to the Candy Girls, Henderson Middle School, Henderson.

In the high school division - 1st place went to the Envy Us, Community Team - Rocky Mount; 2nd place to Psi Phi Nu, Southern Vance High School, Henderson; and 3rd place to Unique All-Starz, Fike High School, Wilson.

Mount; 2nd place to Warren County Middle School, Warrenton; and 3rd place to the Candy Girls, Henderson Middle School, Henderson.

In the high school division - 1st place went to the Envy Us, Community Team - Rocky Mount; 2nd place to Psi Phi Nu, Southern Vance High School, Henderson; and 3rd place to Unique All-Starz, Fike High School, Wilson.