ARTIST
ON THE CUTTING EDGE
April- June 2016 Volume 1
We at AOTCE think the dancers featured here are creative people that have taken the ChiStepp art form and made it into something inspired. The adherents clearly put their creativity, grace, uniqueness and technical stamp on the dance each and every time they get on the dance floor. What we at AOTCE observe is that this dance continues to evolve and we acknowledge that this dance and it's participants are indeed Artists On The Cutting Edge.
If you are interested in contacting Skipp for lessons
or bookings, he can be contacted by the social
media listed above as well as by email at Skipp5050@gmail.com
James Anthony Skiffer better known as "Skipp"
Lizz and Skipp having fun dancing. Below, Skipp is in the dance zone.
Carmen and Skipp on the dance floor
According to some Chicago Stepp is great exercise. Some say it is to hard to learn. Many say it is simple fun. However those in the know say very boldly that it a dance, founded in Chicago, and done the best by Chicagoans. The notion that the dance is done by Chicagoans the best, has been disputed by many outside of Chicago. For those who have danced the ChiStepp for many years they say, it is simple a “lifestyle”.
The dance created in Chicago has a very dubious past, yet it has been transformed into a smooth, intricate, whirling, exciting dance to move to or just watch.
The dance is called Stepp by insiders and is currently done by anybody willing to learn the basic’s and get out on the dance floor. If you are familiar with the bop i.e. Detroit Bop, Salsa, or Ballroom, you will be very comfortable doing Stepp.
It is currently danced all over the country with many events created around colors or themes.
For example, the White Party is such an event where all the participants dress in white.
The 70's party, Rainbow colors, the Chocolate Party and much more are just a
few of the themes. But whatever the theme or colors the Chi Stepp is the mainstay
and everyone is meant to have a good time.
It is usually a semi-formal event so the participants, men and women are dressed to impress.
If you chose to travel with a purpose, then the Stepp community becomes
an introduction to the culture of that region. Chi Stepp is done around the country
as well as overseas. Las Vegas, Detroit, Raleigh Durham, Phoenix, Atlanta, Los Angeles,
are some of the cities where you can connect to your favorite dance and feel right at home.
If at all you are interested in doing the Chi-Stepp and cruising at the same time you are
in luck because the Stepp community does that too.
Some of the dancers are highlighted below.
Many offer classes and are more than willing to share their knowledge of the dance.
Angie is an instructor who is extraordinary.
She is one of the people who is taking the dance to the next creative level by infusing
it with a new direction, moves, and new energy.
Other dancing artist include Royce Banks, Arthur Moor, Byron Samson, and Darnell Brown.
Lizz Woody offers a chance for dancers to groove on the dance floor every second
Friday at Setay Dance and Fitness in Phoenix.
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Skipp and some of his crew.
by Lizz Woody
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Born in Chicago, Illinois, James Anthony Skiffer. He prefers "Skipp". Skipp remembers, according to his mother, she was always dancing even through her ninth month of pregnancy. Skipp feels his rhythm comes directly from her.
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At a very young age, Skipp was attracted to music and made it a huge part of his life. He began dancing somewhere about age 2. Skipp describes dancing as natural, effortless, expressive, colorful and rewarding. The different dance styles he feels, are basically the same tempo, pattern and direction.
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Skipp has been Steppin and Bopping since the age of thirteen and instructing for 22 years. He says that his instruction was born out a necessity to have a dance partner. The musical artists that influenced his passion for dancing include James Brown, Michael Jackson, Prince, The Dells, Temptations, Kid Creaole, Cab Calloway and others. For Skipp, it's a feeling, and this feeling incorporates all of the dancing styles into what we know as the Chigago Stepp. Many in the Stepp dancing community view Skipp as the cool and smooth Sammy Davis Jr, of the Chicago Stepp scene.
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Skipp is currently retired from the military and employed by a Phoenix company. He offers classes in Chicago Stepp at Setay, Dance and Fitness, every Saturday from 1:30-3:30 p.m. in Phoenix, Arizona
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A Smooth Affair is a quarterly dance event hosted by Skipp and his team. He can be contacted by email, and Facebook for additional information and bookings.
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Skipp shows us some of the smooth moves that make the Chicago Stepp classical.
Skipp instructs at Setays Dance & Fitness Studio in Phoenix