We’ve talked about stepping as well as strolling, today, we talk about Saluting.

Saluting is a tradition common to many Latino-Greek Organizations. The tradition of saluting originated with the first Latin fraternity, Lambda Theta Phi, according to the book Latino by Birth, Lambda by Choice written by Jesus Pena, Esq. The purpose of Saluting is two-fold.  First, it allows members of an organization to praise another member within their fraternity or sorority. Secondly, it also allows members to display honor and respect to their organization’s accomplishments. Members themselves write the salutes. It’s not uncommon to find lyrics or a play on words of a contemporary song included in the salute. Once the words for the salute are prepared, the next step is to incorporate organized motions  synchronized with the salute. Typically there are several individuals performing the salute.  All those performing will synchronize their movements to appear as one united group. You may often witness a salute  at a “coming out show” or party hosted by one of the many organizations who include Saluting as an important tradition.

Check out a salute written and performed by the brothers of Lambda Theta Phi from both Pi and Epsilon Chapters.

I hope you enjoyed the first part of our Traditions Series: Stepping. Today, we’ll talk about the tradition of Strolling.

Have you ever been to a club,and watched people dancing in a line, performing the same dance moves? Then you may have seen a “stroll” or “party-walk.”  Strolling is a tradition that can be traced back to the early 1900′s.  Like stepping, it has also been linked to Black Greek organizations like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA); which is the first historically black Greek sorority. It’s a tradition that has had wide appeal and is performed by many organizations to this day, not just those in the NPHC.

The way that strolling works is by having brothers or sisters of a particular Greek organization create a single file line. They then begin to move forward through the club in unison; united in dance motions or alternating dance moves. Strolling is obviously a coordinated production.  For it to work, all members performing must know every step of the choreographed stroll. It differs from stepping in that music is used and the military-like formations of stepping aren’t seen. The moves used during a stroll are typically rooted in the traditions of a particular organization, reflecting the significance of brotherhood or sisterhood.

Here’s a video of the University of Georgia AKA’s strolling.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the series of videos from the Sprite Step-Off. In keeping with the theme, we are happy to introduce a new blog series:  Traditions!

Today, We’ll examine Stepping.

“Stomp..Clap, Clap, Stomp, Clap Clap, Stomp, Stomp….” Stepping is a tradition where performers synchronize their moves choreographing a dance, most often without music. This all comes together to incorporate clapping, stomping their feet, jumps.   The end result of that mix of sounds and motions produce complex rhythms and sounds through a mixture of footsteps, spoken word, and hand claps.

Stepping is a tradition that dates back to the first historically Black Greek organizations. No specific date for the origin of this tradition can be traced.   Some black greek organizations feel that this tradition can be traced back to Africa and customary tribal dances. Historians like Elizabeth C. Fine Ph.D who wrote the book Soulstepping: African American Step Shows feel the roots of stepping in greek culture did not begin until the 1920′s, and did not further develop until the 1940′s.  Fine lists the first reference to “stepping” as an article printed in 1925 on the Howard University newspaper, The Hilltop. It indicates that it was Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity who made their pledges sing and dance around campus in a rhythmic form like stepping.

Stepping is rooted within the competitive schoolyard song and dance rituals practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, beginning in the early-1900s. Today stepping performances can be rather intricate with organizations using props like blindfolds, machete knives, canes, and other items to take their performance to another level.  Don’t miss an opportunity to check out a competition if you get a chance!

Here’s a stepping performance by the Sigma Chapter of Pi Delta Psi at AASA 2008