The Step Team is a club that provides students with a way to express themselves and create bonds with their fellow members through…. Stepping uses body movements to produce rhythms and beats and is a historical aspect of Black culture.

“It (the Step Team) gives people of the Black community a place to be themselves,” theatre junior Nathalie Dumont said. “This is a predominantly White school, so I feel (that) having the Step Team shows a lot of diversity and representation for our culture.”

Although the Step Team was formed last year, they had not been able to perform their routines for audiences because “there wasn’t much organization,” Dumont said. This year, the team was brought back and is now able to perform routines in front of other students. 

“The good thing about the Step Team is that it was the brainchild of someone last year,” co-sponsor of the Step Team and school counselor Rachelle Francois-Nicholas said. “It was great that the thought came to mind so that we could start the foundation, but it didn’t come to fruition until this year.”

The members participate in flash mobs in the cafeteria, displaying what they have been working on to other students. They hope that these performances will help them build up a presence within the school and eventually lead them to more outside-of-school opportunities to perform. 

“As a surprise for the school, we will pick a random day, then go into the cafeteria and do a short step performance,” co-captain of the Step Team and communications junior Jennifer Loizeau said. “I love how we can engage the students at our school through Step.”

The Step Team consists of seven girls who feel close to each other since “being around girls their age makes it fun,” said co-captain of the Step Team and communications junior Camielle Nicholas.

“The girls on the Step Team have become like my little sisters,” Dumont said. “It’s like our little home, our little family.” 

Through learning new moves and working through routines, the members of the Step Team are able to learn more about Step and grow as a team.

“I love Step because it’s challenging,” Loizeau said. “I feel like there’s never a level where you reach where it’s like, ‘Oh, you’re perfect.’ There’s always going to be a step that’s going to be difficult for you or a dance routine that’s going to be difficult for you. It’s always a challenge and you just have to work even harder.”