The GHOE Step Show
By Nakylah Carter / October 23, 2021
Nakylah Carter is a junior multimedia journalism student at North Carolina A&T State University from Chicago, IL.
After the cancellation of homecoming in 2020 due to COVID-19, the Step Show entitled “Comeback Season” will take place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25, at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Dating back decades, the Step Show has been an annual homecoming event with a Pre-Dawn Dance that previously would accompany it. In the early 2000s, the event became one on its own.
Greek life is a staple on HBCU campuses, and The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), also known as the Divine 9, inspires students to get involved on campus and in the Greensboro community.
Understanding how the Step Show is an integral part of homecoming involves understanding how Greek life is a staple on A&T’s campus and in the community.
“Greek organizations carry the values and principles of the great men and women who came before us and continue to lead and uplift the community,” said A&T senior student Preston Thornton, a Spring ‘21 initiate into the Mu Psi chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He added, “As African Americans, having positive role models in your community is not as common, and the various Greek organizations strive to build long-lasting relationships and networks spanning generations on end to grow high-achieving members of society.”
This year, Aggie alumni Terrence J will be hosting the event, joining memorable MCs such as comedian Zoie and entertainer Dukk to host the Greek Step Show.
The event will have COVID-19 protocols in place, including the requirement of face masks at all times and proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72-hours of the event. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in the removal of guests without a refund.
Many students are eager to see Greeks go toe-to-toe in one of the most intense competitions of the year.
The reigning champion, Alpha Mu Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the 13-time winner, Eta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., are among the Greeks who will return to showcase their talents.
“The Step Show really shows how creative students are,” said senior A&T student Alexis Davis said. “Most of the performances have a theme, and sometimes the themes are not the most conventional, so seeing how students put their minds together to execute is always a joy.”
The Student Activities Board (SUAB), in collaboration with Fraternity and Sorority Engagement (FSE), underwent much preparation to make sure the event would go smoothly this homecoming season.
“We have been working tirelessly since early summer with the Homecoming Committee, University Administration, the Joint Greek Council and many other stakeholders to ensure that the Aggie Homecoming Step Show makes a great comeback,” said Dom Jones, president of the Joint Greek Council.
With COVID-19 numbers slowly declining, homecoming regulations discourage the gathering at campus Greek plots and consider it a sanctioned activity. Chapter sanctions can result if any unpermitted activity is detected at the plots.
Nakylah Carter is a junior multimedia journalism student at North Carolina A&T State University from Chicago, IL.
