What Is Stepping?

Stepping is a form of percussive dance in which the participant’s entire body is used as an instrument to produce complex rhythms and sounds through a mixture of footsteps, spoken word, and handclaps. Though stepping may be performed by an individual, it is generally performed by groups of three or more, often in arrangements that resemble military formations.

 

Stepping may also draw from elements of gymnastics, tap dance, march, African and Caribbean dances, and may include semi-dangerous stunts as a part of routines.

 

Stepping attire may consist of any type of clothing, including boots, high-heeled shoes, and tap shoes. Steppers may use canes, fire sticks, and swords, which may be rhythmically tapped together or on a hard-surfaced floor, or swung at other steppers in often-complex dance maneuvers.