So I'm browsing Essence.com and I come across an article about how a White sorority caused some controversy by winning the national Sprite Step-Off Competition . I watch the video and wow these girls are amazing, I mean they are on it! I'm not sure how the other groups performed, but I could see why they won the grand prize. However, as I continued to read on, because the win caused such an uproar , Sprite apparently re-counted the votes and then called it a tie with the AKA's. I started laughing, wow here we go again with the race factor. I thought this competition was about talent not race. I have to be honest I was a little shocked at first, but after 5 minutes of watching, I could tell these ladies had some real talent. I have to give them kudos for entering an all Black competition. I like how at the end the guy says "stepping is for everyone, if you can step you can step", I have to agree. When you get a chance you should head over to Essence.com and read some of the ridiculous comments people made. Just goes to show how ignorant people can be both Black and White. I've posted the video below. I'll let you be the judge.
I read that same article! I don't know how to feel about the situation. I mean, if it were backwards, like Cool Runnings (You know, black men entering an Olymic bobsled competition) I would be p.o'ed, no question.
ReplyDeleteI agree that race should not be the reason why they "recounted and called it a tie." If those girls were better, they were better. Period.
But on the hand...I feel almost like I am protective of the African American culture that we do have, you know? Too many of us feel so disconnected from Africa (not our damn fault, of course), that when a part of African American culture we can relate to like this are kind of "taken" away from us, it feels like we are losing that, too.
I am all up in my head, as you can see, and may be thinking about this too deeply, but that is how I feel about it.
And who were these judges? What the hell, cracking under social pressure to appease the races in a step competition? Puh-lease. My issue with all of this is there, but for purely the situation and not based on my feelings about it, they shouldn't have recounted. It's just not fair, plain and simple.
Whoa, I wrote a lot, but I like this topic:-D
you give credit where credit is due - they.were.amazing.
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@ Chrissystina I see where your coming from when it comes to preserving African American culture, I kind of felt the same way too. Thanks for commenting :-)
ReplyDelete@ Raven. Yep my thoughts exactly :-)
ReplyDeleteThose girls did an awesome job. I used to be in a step team in college (and later on joined a sorority) and I think those girls would have been some serious competition for us, lol. I commend them for not only learning about something that is a part of African American culture, but actually taking the time to do it well. I think it's flattering.
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