Midwest Contestants Get It In at the Linen Steppin Affair! Back

Jul 15, 2013

Cleveland’s Linen Steppin Affair in Cleveland, OH presented two nights of awesome steppin and another batch of pre-lim contestants for the World’s Largest Steppers Contest in August of this year. Stepper2Stepper hosts and hostesses, Kendra Willis, Jerry Rhodes and Tyrone Brown with Debbie Rhodes as the assistant who was the glue that helped keep the two day affair together.

Kendra Willis and Ambrose West showcased some of the most creative moves I have seen in a while for their New Skool category, Donald Gardner and Cassandra "Cookie” Proctor represented the Original category with Tracey and Marcus Brent entering the same category all the way from North Carolina. Detroit Contestants included last year’s 2^nd place new school winners , Kammal Smith and Daniella Borum, Sherry Gordon and Friends United buddy, Dave Dean, repped the Original Old Skool and Sherry also did double duty with Ed "The Dark Knight” Donaldson with Walking. Drew "The Phenom” Alexander had his students newcomer Amanda Anderson and Ed enter the pre-lims and they received loud cheers and claps for their New Skool Performance. Drew Alexander’s also had beginner students, Tim McGray and Nikisha Nabors enter while Byron Turner and Michelle Chapman represented the Beginners category as well. Rounding up the entrants were Keesha Anderson and Feo Duncan entering both the New School and Walking categories.

By the way, as far as the beginners’ category goes, someone is going to have to explain to me what the expectations are for beginning couples. Are you expected to mess up because you have a limited skill set? Are you required to do a certain number of combinations? I really don’t understand what a judge would be looking for in that category.

Floyd Robinson, R&B guest singer was brought in Friday night by co-host, Keith Hubbard, providing the crowd with his hit "Better Days” while Pete Frazier did his usual "If you like what you see..” routine on the mike. DJ Rockin Rodney Mack held down the music for the evening and even mixed the music for the contestants which I didn’t know he could do. Way to go Rodney with the versatility!

Saturday’s workshops were excellent which featured a complimentary ballroom workshop by Cookie and Dwayne. Keith Hubbard always educates your steppin with the Walking Workshop. Sherry Gordon featured a blindfold workshop designed to teach people how to stay in their lanes and to help people develop a strong lead or to help identify if there are weaknesses in their following. Attendees appreciated Sherry’s feedback and thoroughness with her instruction.

I craftily snuck into St. John’s Byzantine Cathedral disguised on Saturday evening so I could just watch the events unfold that night. The night brought with it R&B recording artist, Carmichael. While his music was featured, he took the time to sign autographs, pose for pictures, and was very friendly and personable with guests. Threadz paraphernalia CEO, Mary Hurst drove all the way from Detroit after coming from Washington, DC where she worked at Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Convention all weekend. A special shout out goes to Rebecca Johnson who helped to coordinate Carmichael’s activities while making sure he was comfortable and supported during his stay in Cleveland.

I Love Steppin’s Jeff Clark took pictures and hung out making sure photo coverage was there on Saturday night as well. Clark has been a longtime supporter of all Cleveland events. Highlights include the souvenir fans with the Stepper2 Stepper insignia which was given to guests. The fans read "I am a Fan.”  Too cute! Debbie was on hand as a Candy Striper who passed out different candies all evening. I must say the Action Pasta Buffet was the big hit of the evening, chefs cooked pasta as it was ordered, with garlic bread, meatballs, fettuccine with white sauce, marinara, salads. It was a big hit…to say the least!

Mellow Khris did his thing as he always does and The Ambassadors went around making sure the ladies got their fair share of dances.

In the building were Iary Israel (St. Louis), Patrice "Sweetie Pye”. TJ, Dazzlin (Houston), Zinne Kimbrough, Miami Steve, Tabaka Osonduagwuike, Ayce Bell, Jerome Moore, Curtis Jackson (Chicago), Richard Cochran, Dave "The Stepper” and James Pacely and the Detroit, Toeldo, Columbus, Flint and Akron crews.

Says hostess Kendra Willis, "It’s always an enchanted adventure to share a dream with so many. We make our best efforts to do something every year and keep what we love to do healthy, wealthy and worthy for our city and others. As we all know, it is never a one man show. It is with good fortune to have an outstanding group of members to express great creativity in an organization like Stepper2Stepper.”