Step Team: Editing Assignment

Feature Story

For: Groups of 1-2
Difficulty: Advanced

Objective
This assignment tests a student’s ability to stay on focus and tell a story with a lot of captured content. The focus statement is “One Family, One Sound”. This assignment will take a considerable amount of time and effort to do well.

Points to emphasize

  • Students should start by adding sound bites to their timeline; then add nat sound pops and b-roll. The sound bites are the framework for the story. The b-roll and nat sound add texture and visuals.

  • A reporter’s voice over is used to add information. Sound bites are used to provide emotion and opinion.

Equipment: Computer, editing software, headphones

Assignment

Students must create a 90-120 second feature story from the elements in the raw footage pack. Students must also write, record, and include their own voice overs. Students can use a smartphone or computer to record their voice over. No music, effects, or transitions may be used. Students can add their own made up lower thirds if they want. Tip: Find a quiet room like a closet to record voice overs.

Note

There is a LOT of footage in this raw footage pack. The biggest challenge is going to be sorting through all the footage and staying on focus.

Story Facts & Information

Dr. Felton Interview Notes (Assistant Coach)

About the Team

The team is the Central High School Step Team. Started in 2001. It currently has 16 members. They recently performed at the homecoming game.

Because of Central’s work, two more high school step teams and two middle school step teams have formed in Springfield.

The team currently knows 23 steps.

Six were taught by the coach and 17 were created and taught by the students.

They also have about 15 strolls choreographed to music. (Strolls are step routines set to music)

The team has three captains who create new routines to keep performances fresh for their peers.

The team’s goal is to compete and win regional competitions.

The team hopes to travel to the World of Step Finale competition in New York City this

May. They need to qualify and they need to raise about $750 per student to be able to

travel to the competition.

History and Origins of Step

Step has roots in South African gumboot dancing and West African Zulu dancing in the 1800s.

It was used as a form of communication through beats and rhythms to overcome language barriers and as a coded language for migrant workers.

At Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities used stepping to celebrate African-American heritage, pride, and unity.

From there, step teams formed in schools, providing students with connection and belonging.

Taniquea “Minnie” Interview Notes (White Shirt)

Minnie is a senior. Her title is Stroll Captain. She is responsible for choosing the music

to routines that involve music (strolls). She is responsible for the choreography and for

teaching the choreography to the other members of the team. She joined the team as a

sophomore (when she transferred to Central) with her sister who graduated two years ago. Her teammates call her minnie because she has been the same height since 4th grade.

Dr. Felton recruited her to join. Minnie was hesitant at first but fell in love with step because it helped her bond with her teammates.

For her, STEP is about showing teamwork, strength, and unity through performance.

Practices often focus on teaching new members by breaking into small groups for step-by-step instruction.

Veteran members rotate teaching responsibilities to make the process easier and less overwhelming.

Without STEP, she believes her life would be limited to school, work, and staying to herself — she wouldn’t be outgoing or energetic.

After competing out of town, in St. Louis, she has been motivated to compete out of state and gain recognition. Her dream is to compete on a larger stage.

Edison (Tie Dye Shirt)

Edison is a sophomore. He started the same year as Shamaya and was also on the

Reed Academy step team. Edison is from Baltimore.

Reason for joining: Saw a poster for the Step team, thought it was cool, and joined because he wasn’t involved in other clubs.

Family background: Most of his extended family lives in Baltimore, Maryland, so outside of his parents and brother, the Step Team has become like a family to him.

Step is not officially recognized as a sport under the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA). Edison hopes to see Step gain recognition as a sport, like dance teams are.

Shamaya (Long-sleeve black shirt)

She first got into Step in seventh grade at Reed Middle School. Her mother strongly encouraged her to stick with it, and even when Shamiah considered quitting Step in high school to try other things. Over time, she grew to enjoy it and now embraces Step as something she likes and values. After high school, she hopes to attend LSU.

Shamiah says Step has helped her and other mostly introverted team members build confidence and bring out different sides of their personalities when performing. She sees her teammates as supportive, helpful with schoolwork, and fun to be around.

Shamiah hopes the team can grow and compete outside the state, traveling to new places and representing their school in competitions.

Erica (Short-sleeve Black shirt)

Erica is a sophomore at Central High School in Springfield, Missouri, and a member of the Central Step Team. She was drawn to it because it wasn’t like cheerleading or dance—there was no music or pom-poms, just rhythm and movement created by the performers themselves. Dr. Felton tried to recruit Erica in 7th and 8th grade and she finally joined her freshman year (last year).

Erica loves the team’s sense of community. They rely on each other, support new members, and even hold each other accountable academically. Erica says Step has given her friends, confidence, and a strong sense of belonging. She feels it helps introverted students come out of their shells and showcase new sides of themselves.

She enjoys the spotlight, the energy from the audience, and the chance to show what she can do. Erica wants Step to be recognized more formally at Central. She hopes to see it count for a PE credit or even be classified as a sport before she graduates.

She also wants the team to continue to build a strong foundation and spread Step to other schools in the area, as they were the first team in Springfield.

 

Example

We suggest waiting until after the students are finished to show the example.

Edit by Camryn Summers, Central High School, Springfield, Missouri