Thirteen-year-old Sparkyl Williams plopped to the ground with exhaustion after stepping off the stage in Southeast High School’s auditorium Saturday night. “Oh, my feet hurt. I’m out of breath,” she panted excitedly. After a nearly 12-minute routine of stepping and hip-hop dancing, Sparkyl’s feet certainly deserved a rest. Step dancers use all their bodies as instruments to produce rhythms and sounds through footsteps, clapping and words.

Six teams competed, coming from as far south as Alton and north as Rockford, organizers said.

The competition capped off a daylong series of “edutainment” that highlighted stepping and HIV/AIDS prevention.

Kimberly Moore of the Network Group, which produces and promotes entertainment that combines health education with artistic expression, spearheaded the event to highlight the heritage of stepping in black fraternities and sororities.   more »