Back in July 2009 I called a group of people in the L.A. steppin community who I felt were the influences of growing and uniting stepping here in L.A. including instructors, promoters, and steppers. The initial meeting included: Lana Reid (Lanareid.com), Garry Fields (Celebrity Steppers), and Lonzo Williams (CHOF-Steppin 4 A Dream).

It also included Karen Weaver and Geney Werner (Steppin’ 4 A Dream), Damone Jackson (L.A. Steppers West), Mike Brown (Stone Entertainment), Rodney Clark and Tracey Jones (StepOn Unlimited), Millie Stanford (World Class Alliance Group), Gwen Fitzgerald and Pat Vining. Others invited but could not attend were Brian Patterson (Steppin’ B), Terance Jones (Los Angeles Steppers Connection) and Cyrus Joiner (Friends of Steppers). So I thought I pretty much had covered the whole L.A. steppers community all those instrumental to the past and present. Wrong!

After that meeting I received a few buzzes in my ear on an instructional organization that’s been here for years I had missed. I have never really heard of this group in L.A. or some of the key people in it. They were here way before my time but their contribution to the style of the dance is so authentic that when I did start steppin many of the “heavy hitters” gave them the credit for their style. For the second meeting they were represented. I will respect their choice and request to not mention their name in relation to the history of steppin in L.A. They are truly still key players that got L.A. to where it is today and without them we probably wouldn’t have transformed in our style as quick as we did to the current style we now have.

There were a couple of other key players missing that I was not aware of possibly due to them living in Chicago. That would be Andre "Dre" Blackwell (Dre and Company) and Bruce Dyer (Steppers Alliance). Yes, Dre was an instructor out here before his Best of Both World's partner Brian "Steppin B" Patterson. I knew it felt like I was robbing Brian when I came to his class and Dre was also there teaching and I pay the normal $10 for the class. Then I turn around and pick their brains for two hours before I hit Dre's turbo boost button and he put some crazy move on me. Then there's Bruce Dyer that was featured on KTLA news with Gail Anderson back in July of 2005 putting steppin in the media to attract a larger audience. Here's the famous quote from that clip "Ok, how you get from what you seeing over there (referring to the group Terance Jones was teaching in the background) to what you see right here is many months of practice, but its all done on the eight count. That's the beauty of the dance its smooth, its elegant, its suave and the Club Hall of Fame here in Los Angeles is going to bring steppin to the West Coast". Stepping was already here at the time but I think he was speaking on a more larger scale. Bruce was not here teaching when I started about 3 years ago and have not been here since then. Hopefully he will decide to come back soon to see how much L.A. has grown over the years.

Putting together the meeting has taught me the importance of learning the history of steppin in L.A.. Speaking to a promoter that has been here from the beginning can give you the history of when steppin got to its peak of popularity, the areas where steppin started and moved around to and things that have drew people in to the dance as well as turned them away. An instructor that has been teaching from the beginning can tell you about the different stages steppin has went through from the time it started to the present. A stepper who has been here from the beginning can tell you about who has been around the longest, the different stages they went through when they started and memorable moments that can never be forgotten. Pick one of each to speak to about the history and you will have a great story about the dance. Speak to all of them and you will have a huge chaptered book.

No matter how big the community grow the roots will still be grounded due to Terance Jones, Garry Fields, Lonzo Williams, Lana Reid, Andre “Dre” Blackwell, Bruce Dyer, Damone Jackson, Brian “Steppin B” Patterson and many others for their contribution to the history of Steppin’ in Los Angeles. As we all continue to support the growth and unity, L.A. will continue to step it up. Check out some of their interviews under the Steppin It Up Honorees - L.A.'s Historical Icons Edition.