They say that out of the mouths of babes comes wisdom. Well, what comes out of their feet? Fourteen year old stepper, John Jenkins, from North Carolina knows. This very courteous young man is making a name for himself and his dance all over the country and has no plans on stopping anytime soon. Chistepper took the time to talk to John about the dance and his recent accomplishments.
Tracey: Hey John, thanks for taking the time out of your school work to talk to Chistepper. How long have you been steppin' and what got you interested in it?
John: I started in November of 2006. My mom and the Carolina Steppers Connection were doing a lot of promotional work with the dance at the time. We have a young community of about 150 steppers. I became interested in the dance because of my mom’s promotional efforts and decided to give it a try because it seemed different.
Tracey: In this the age of freestyle and hip hop dancing, most young people your age aren’t thinking about dancing with each other in a structured fashion. Is it your goal to promote this dance among your peers?
John: Yes ma ‘am. Unfortunately, my school doesn’t have dances but that doesn’t mean that I can’t take the opportunity to showcase the dance at picnics, community events, workshops, word of mouth, etc.
Tracey: What have been some of your steppin accomplishments so far?
John: I won 1st place in the Beginners Category in the 2008 Steppin to the King’s Dream Contest and I’ve also done exhibitions locally, as well as, in Atlanta, Virginia, Los Angeles and South Carolina.
Tracey: Would you ever consider entering the World’s Largest Steppers Contest?
John: If I met the age requirement and examined what the sponsors had to offer … yes I would.
Tracey: Have you had an opportunity to study the elements of the dance that are important to you?
John: I think executing your moves smoothly so that you can connect with your partner is important. I practice everyday to R&B, Hip Hop or to whatever kind of music [to] help me be creative. Also, I can rock a three piece suit with no problem. I try to be stepper sharp when I represent the dance.
Tracey: What steppers do you admire from Chicago?
John: Brian Patterson is my mentor. I learned about etiquette, style, and footwork from him. I also admire Pete Frazier and Moe because they represent what good leaders can do with a group of good men like the Magestic Gents. TykMyn steps like he is a young guy like me and I like what I see in his contest footage. I like how these men bridge the gap between the young community and the older community.
Tracey: In five years, where will you and steppin be?
John: I will be teaching the dance and traveling to places like Greece and Spain. I want to be a part of helping the community grow and progressing in the dance at the same time.
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