Steppin’ with Style brings diversity to school
By Tyrone Farley
For the St. Louis American
Last year at Pattonville High School, students started a dance group to better appeal to the African-American students and recognize cultural diversity.
Pattonville High students Katrina Moore, Rachael Cherry, Tamika Mosley, Brandy Lockridge and Ashley Bonner formed the group Steppin’ with Style. The students were responsible for choreographing routines based on the hip-hop genre.
“Pattonville had a cheerleading squad, but there was really nothing to appeal to African Americans,” said Katrina Moore, former captain of Steppin’ with Style (SWS).
“At first, I was in a drill team, but a lot of people didn’t like the type of dancing or music that was used,” said Rachael Cherry, co-captain of SWS. “So we knew that we needed to start something different.”
The step group was formed to bring diversity to the school. With a majority of the team being females, diversity within the group came from its one male member.
“The older girls took to me as younger brother, and the younger girls took to me as a close friend,” said Donald Greenle of SWS. “I definitely enjoyed working with them.”
“We are more like a family here,” said SWS sponsor, Debra Hadley.
“With the kids, they tend to come to us for advice on all kinds of problems or situations, like dating. We are not only sponsors, but surrogate parents.”
This spring, SWS completed its first dance/stepping event, called “The Jump Off.” The contest included five local stepping groups, who competed for the title “The Best Step Group in St. Louis.”
The event was an overwhelming success, and part of the proceeds went to buy care packages for soldiers serving in Iraq.
To participate in the group, students were asked to maintain a cumulative GPA of a 2.0 or better. During the fourth period of the 2003-2004 semester, thirteen of the nineteen dancers achieved a 3.0 GPA, with the highest being a 4.0.
“These students are excellent scholars. Katrina has a 3.6, and Rachael has a 3.4,” said Hadley.
“Katrina has grown mentally, and she has stepped up to the plate as a leader, but balances it with humility.”
“In order for me to get the position as captain, I had to write a speech, with a few others, competing for the spot,” said Moore. “I was a little nervous, because I knew that there were some people that wanted it a lot.”
When asked to sum up year with the step group in a few words, Moore stated, “A big test, but it was fun. It brought the people on the team together.”
Hadley, who left the district at the end of the school year, said, “It was amazing to watch these students develop into dynamite dancers and, more importantly, into leaders.”
