Cynthia Bean, One Of The Original Penner's of Steppin' Back

Mar 26, 2012

 
The steppin’ ethos has Cynthia Bean as one of their valued and highly respected members. She is an icon. Most are not familiar with her outside of Chicago and the Midwest. I have always peeked at her through my rear view whenever I would see her at a set during my visits to Chicago. March is Womens History and Awareness month and I chose for my subject Cynthia Bean, a woman who steps and writes. When I asked her to be apart of my blog, her yes humbled me and her openness freed me of my curiosity. So, I present to you, Cynthia Bean in twenty questions. Enjoy.

1. How long have you been writing and do you only pen about steppin’.

I started Steppin in 1996. I started writing in 1999. But Woodie McNeal was the first one putting out a calendar. She had a Monthly calendar that she had printed out and passed out at all the sets in Chicago only.


2. In the six years that I’ve been steppin’ and reading your online piece the format for your Steppers 411 has not changed with the evolution of the internet and there are new and more sophisticated formats? Why is that?

If it’s not broken why change it? It’s simple and to the point. People just want to know where to go get their step on. No reason to make it look any different.


3. How did your writing for steppin’ manifest itself?

When I joined Fulson Cool Music Productions back in 1999, I started picking up pluggers from the tables so I would know where to go and promote our first Friday Set. TmRific (Goodtimes Productions) and Donna Harris (Girlfriend Productions) saw me doing that so every week they would e-mail me asking about “what’s going on next weekend.” I started sending them the Weekend Update and they told two friends and so on and so on…LOL!!!


4. Your name is synonymous with the steppin’ community in Chicago. How did that come to be?

Maybe because I have done more than just write the Steppers 411. I was with ”Inside Steppin Magazine” for about two years and I was the Public Relations Director. Which meant that I sold the magazine at the different Steppers sets…LOL!!! I co-hosted with Lamont Watts on Clubsteppin.com every Thursday out of Kennedy- King College’s radio Station 89.3 FM WKKC. I did that for a little over a year. I would read the Steppers 411 on the air. And lastly, I was the host of the internet tv show “Steppin Chicago Style” (Steppinchicagostyle.net) for three years. So people began to see my face more and more after that.


5. Creme Brulee or Banana Pudding?

Girl Banana pudding. My mom calls me sometimes even after the holidays to make her one. Even though she taught me how to make it…LOL!!!


6. Black Mary of Chicago, J F Productions, I Love Steppin’, The Steppers Club, Elegance Entertainment, Steppin’ Guide Emag, and DV (Don Vic) Director of Etiquette, and that’s just to name a few, these websites house or have housed your newsletter. Knowing that your information is that trusted, how does that make you feel?
It’s almost as if you don’t say it then it isn’t so.

Wow!!! I didn’t know about all that. (smile) It does feel good to know that people trust the information that I send out. It is hard putting the Steppers 411 together. Every month I ask promoters to get the event information in to me by the third Friday of the month and prior to their events so I can get the calendars to these other webmasters. Sometimes it is like pulling teeth.

7. When I Googled you there were over 1 million hits on your name. That is more than Lady Margaret, Andre Blackwell, Terrence Pratt, Brian “Steppin’ B” Patterson, and Tyk Myn. How does that make you feel knowing that your online popularity is a cut above them?

That is too funny. There are other Cynthia Bean’s out there believe it or not.There’s a Dr. Cynthia Bean in Florida. WOW!! But as far as doing the Steppers thing, I guess because people mention me on the other sites you mentioned and maybe that is why. Hmmm!!!


8. How do you see your steppin’ writing in the future? To be clear do you have plans to publish a fiction or non-fiction piece around steppin’ or your memoir?

Oh no no no!!! I’m not even on that level. I just like to keep the Steppers informed on where to go and enjoy this dance.


9. Besides Steppin’ and House music are there any other dances you do, and if so, which is your first love?

It is only Steppin and House music for me as far as the dancing is concerned. I do love other genres of music though. I love the Blues and will listen to some Jazz. But House music was the first love…starting in high school at age 14. LOL!!! Steppin came way later.


10. If none of those dances existed, what would you be doing?

Hmm, I really don’t know. Sorry!! I’m not into hip hop. I love old school rap though…


11. Are you a Chicago native?

Yes born and raised in the CHI.


12. Do you do much traveling outside of Chicago to step and if so, what has that experience been like? How were you met?

I don’t do a lot of traveling for Steppin but when I do go to other cities they welcome me with open arms. That’s love.


13. Favorite song to step to?

”At Last” by Glenn Jones. That is my theme song girl…smile. There are others too but that is the main one.


14. Tell us something about you that would surprise most?

Hmm. Most people know I use to keep the score for my dad’s two baseball teams (10 years) and for my alma mater DuSable High School (4 years). But what might surprise them is that I used to play co-ed volleyball at some of Chicago’s Park Districts for about 8 years.

15. March is Womens History and Awareness Month. What woman of history do you admire as a whole and also what legendary female stepper would you like to pay homage to?

My mom is my shero (hero)… while my dad worked, she was a stay at home mom, making sure that her 4 children got to school on time, had balanced meals and read most of our books then read our book reports to make sure we were doing them right…LOL!! Our teachers used to love her… As far as the female stepper… hmmmm!! I really don’t know. I love to see the veteran Steppers dance so I don’t know.


16. What’s your favorite meal to cook?

Baked chicken covered with cream of chicken soup, rice and green beans.. Umm Umm!!!


17. Have you ever had any drama on the set? I ask that because I have never heard your name thrown into a pack of wolves to be devoured.

Hmm. My little drama was kept on the DL because we didn’t make our drama known. I used to hang out with a lot of women. But people grow apart. I pretty much stay to myself at the sets. I am not in everyone’s business. I just like to go out, listen to the music, have an absolut…ly or two (smile) and dance every now and then.


18. Favorite place to step in Chicago?

I like places with wooden floors. So if that venue has it, I love it.


19. Do you have a bucket list and if so, what are some of the things on that list?

I can’t say that I do. I am just living one day at a time. If something interests me, I may try it.


20. A little something personal, are you in a relationship?

I’m dating. No one on the scene….smile

There you have it steppers, Cynthia Bean raw and untouched. She was straight forward and to the point. If you would like to be on her mailing list so that you can receive her Steppers 411 Your Internet Connection, send her an email at cyntbean818@gmail.com and make a formal request. Thanks for reading and until the next time, blessings to you all.

I Love Steppin 16th Year Anniversary