On Friday, April 25, the National Pan-Hellenic Council at Tulane University hosted a step show, a public performance of percussive dancing.
“Stepping” is a historical form of communication and storytelling that belongs to the Divine Nine sororities and fraternities and that they have widely performed. This show was the first show since 2020.
Performers included members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, or “AKA,” Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, also known as “Alphas,” Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, or “Deltas” and the establishing chapter at Tulane, Omega Psi Phi, “Que Dogs.” The step show included performances by AKA, Deltas and Alphas.
The judges included Carolyn Barber-Pierre, Tulane’s assistant vice president for multicultural student affairs, Cara Guillbeau, director of intercultural life, and Maurice Smith, associate director of the Center for Public Service.
While the judges were determining the winner of the step show, members of the Divine Nine began strolling, which is a synchronized dance performance in a line formation. Each member performs with their own organization while moving forward in a choreographed dance to showcase their history and traditions.
Members of the Divine Nine strolled to songs provided by DJ Pi, including “Knuck if You Buck” by Crime Mob, “Wipe Me Down” by Boosie Badazz, Webbie and Trill Family and “Lick” by Joi feat. Sleepy Brown.
The judges chose Delta Sigma Theta Sorority as the winners.
Natchitoches, Louisiana native and junior at Tulane, Bethany Milner, performed with her sorority, the Nu Mu Citywide Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Milner “crossed,” meaning she became a fully initiated member of a Divine Nine sorority, in the fall of 2024. Milner recounted her experiences with preparing and performing with her sorority as consisting of “a lot of late nights, a lot of working hard.”
“I think it definitely bonded us together, because we had to be creative and come up with new things all the time,” Milner said. “It would mean something even if we didn’t win.”
Alpha member Chandler Hooks was the “step master,” the one who choreographed the step dance for his organization. Recounting his experiences with performing, Hooks said it was “really stressful, because [it] was our first time performing on Tulane’s campus … It put me in a different position and challenged me, but it was cool overall.”
However, Hooks feels that there is a lack of representation of the Divine Nine organizations from Tulane.
“I feel like Tulane could do a better job of promoting the [Divine Nine] orgs. But … it’s just a demographic thing,” Hooks said.
Despite the small percentage of Black students at Tulane, the Divine Nine organizations remain strong in ensuring their representation. As Milner put it, “being at a [predominantly white university] is always going to be more of a learning curve, because I think people just don’t know much about [Divine Nine] or NPHC, but I feel like we’ve done a good job with hosting programming and events.”
New Orleans native and President of the Rho Iota Chapter at Tulane, Darrell Lee, spoke about the impact the event had on Black students at Tulane. “It’s not too many events that can bring that many Black people together on Tulane’s campus. So just for that to happen … was very special to see,” Lee said.
Freshman Monreau Morrison recounted her experience attending the event as a Black student at a PWI. “It was really powerful seeing Black culture front and center like that. Especially at a school where we’re not the majority and our culture isn’t broadcasted like that,” Morrison said.
Morrison expressed the pride she had within the Black community and their ability to openly express their culture. “It felt good to be in a space where we can be loud and proud and unapologetically Black and not have to water ourselves or our culture down to make everyone else on campus comfortable,” Morrison said.
“It made me very proud of our community and it made campus feel like an [historically Black college/university] for a few moments,” Morrison said.