The crowd was full of energy, excitement and anticipation as each duo approached the center stage. The first pair included stepper Jariza Ricart and staff member Brian Beacham. They set the tone when they threw confetti in the faces of all the other step pairs.
After that the crowd went off, the morale of the evening continued to go up.
April 26, Cabrini College had its second annual step show.
Quiana Volney founded the Cabrini step team her junior year fall semester. The inspiration came from an Eastern vs. Cabrini men’s basketball game.
“Eastern had a dance team that was just hyping up the crowd getting the whole crowd excited,” Volney said. “We should have something like this on our campus. I said to myself, why don’t I start one?”
This year only two steppers returned to the team: Victoria Werring and Volney. So they had to create a solid team and fast.
Over 30 people were interested in the step team during the involvement fair but not many showed up for tryouts.
Thankfully the Cabrini steppers came out with a team and were ready for the year.
After the team was reassembled they began their journey to the step show.
Each year the step team features Cabrini staff members stepping alongside the team. This year’s featured staff included Chef Rodney, Amber LaJeunesse and Dr. Jeffery Gingrich. Each of the staff paired up with a member of the step team and stomped the yard.
The best part of the show for most of the attendees was the segment of the show that the staff participated in.
The staff included Brian Beacham, who teamed up with Jariza Ricart; Valeri Ruiz who paired with Chef Rodney; Father Carl Janecki with Victoria Loretta; and Tracey Hayette with Gingrich.
Amber LaJeunesse, assistant director of the student engagement center, teamed up with Victoria Werring and Stephanie Salinis, campus minister, with Alica Japol. Volney teamed up with Stephanie Reed, director of student diversity, and Vonya Womack, assistant professor of business administration.
This year Volney went to each professor and asked him or her personally if they could participate. After she received consent from each of the staff members to participate, the students voted on whom they wanted to see in the step show.
The step show was heavily advertised for about two and a half weeks. Flyers were everywhere and the steppers were getting ready for game time.
For about two months, the Cabrini steppers have been preparing for their second annual step show.
“The step show takes a lot,” Volney said.
Many things could have discouraged the team but what really bothered them was last minute jitters and being nervous. Volney had to encourage them to be confident in themselves.
“It was just instilling in the steppers that you guys can do it because we’ve been practicing so much … and now it’s showtime,” Volney said.
They practiced twice a week and in some cases longer. Volney let the steppers know that it was game time and that they would have to practice hard.
Freshman Patricia Afram has been on the step team since she started at Cabrini. Afram is Ghanaian and wanted to try something different than what she’s used to in her culture.
Afram described the preparation for the show was crazy, annoying, stressful and fun. After all the mixed feelings there were only positive ones after the show.
Joining the step team has made Afram appreciate others’ opinions, ideals and how to respect them. In her words it’s made her “cultural.”
“I was proud of myself,” Afram said. “I was proud of everyone because we actually nailed it.”
Freshman Patricia Afram has been on the step team since she started at Cabrini. Afram is Ghanaian and wanted to try something different than what she’s used to in her culture.
Afram described the preparation for the show was crazy, annoying, stressful and fun. After all the mixed feelings there were only positive ones after the show.
Joining the step team has made Afram appreciate others’ opinions, ideals and how to respect them. In her words it’s made her “cultural.”
“I was proud of myself,” Afram said. “I was proud of everyone because we actually nailed it.”
