Texas sweeps the NSA U19 Division.
Congrats to our 1st Place Winners.
Bowie Lady Souljahs, Bowie High
Ma'at Steppers, Desoto High
Distinguished Gentlemen, Lake Ridge High
#nsanationals #TDSA #tsta #nsastep #nsachampionship2018
The National Stepping Association (NSA) will sponsor the inaugural "National Stepping Day" (NSD) on Saturday, October 8th. Step teams and individuals from across the nation are encouraged to participate in the event.
"Our aim with National Stepping Day is to bring awareness to the stepping art form," stated Marquez Jones, a high school step team coach in Atlanta. "We want people to show us their best stepping renditions."
To participate in National Stepping Day visit the NSD website (www.nationalsteppingday.org) for more information and to view the NSD Challenge routine video. Teams or individuals should then integrate of the NSD step into their 30 second performance. The challenge video will be uploaded to the NSD website by September 9th, so be ready.
Your performance video should be uploaded on or before Tuesday, October 4th at midnight. The NSA will recognize the most creative step submission as well as the team and individual competitors that receive the most votes.
If you have questions about the day or the competition please contact us at
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National Stepping Day will be celebrated each year the second Saturday in October.
I want to be the first to welcome you back to another exciting season of Dance and Step. As most of you know, we have incorporated Dance into our competition model; thus bringing a new dynamic to our competition events. We will have our annual opening meeting in September and our first TDSA event (HYPE 5k Challenge and Playday) September 24, 2016.
In an effort to align our requirements with our national and other state leagues, we have adapted the Point System for TDSA. The HYPE 5K Challenge and Playday will count as a total of 3 points. The point system will be explained at the September meeting and in the membership handbook addendum that will be distributed during the September meeting. A registration link for the 5K Challenge and Playday is included below.Register 5K Challenge and Playday
Beginning April 7-9, 2016 the NSA will hold its Annual National Stepping Championship in Memphis, TN, the BBQ capital of the South. Details regarding the competition including Hotel information (all championship participants are required to stay at the host hotel) will be made available within a few weeks. Since there are so many things to do in Memphis, it doesn't hurt to start planning your trip now.
Memphis is best known as one of a handful of pinnacles of barbecue. Memphis in May, one of the largest and most vibrant festivals in the South, is host to the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, widely known as the largest competition of its kind in the world, and affectionately called the Superbowl of Swine by barbecue fans.
While in Memphis dont miss out on the opportunity to visit the National Civil Rights Museum, located adjacent to the landmark Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, it is an emotionally haunting and riveting experience. The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is a must-visit that brings the city's lesser-known story of soul music and the 'Memphis Sound' alive. Finally, The National Ornamental Metal Museum traces the history of decorative metal in the US - so very prevalent in the South - through the country's history, with historic exhibits and live demonstrations. It also boasts one of the best gift shops in the city.
On Saturday, October 24, 2015, the TSTA held its first Minor League Step Camp at Desoto High School in Desoto, TX. The Steppers Camp was specificially designed for new teams and teams that do not have many resources. Teams from across the metroplex attended the 4 hour camp. Topics covered at the camp included: Precision and Synchronization, Complexity and Difficulty, Creativity, Transitions and Formations.
The TSTA Steppers Camp experience immersed Steppers in hands-on activities that provided step-masters, team captains and coaches with the building blocks to develop more complex routines. Steppers were given the opportunity to develop complex/difficult routines during the Complexity and Difficulty session and steppers also learned how to write themes that will enhance their competition performance.
On Saturday, July 11, 2015, the TSTA Board Members met to install new board members and appoint new directors to the organization. The Board also looked at the Organization's Strategic Plan and modified several components of the plan. The board tabled the discussion regarding expansion due to time restraints. Later a general meeting of all members was held to discuss the NSA Conference and proposed changes for the upcoming season.
The following represents the TSTA Board members and their positions.
Harold Cornwell, Board Chairman/President
Marvin Mitchell, Vice Chairman
Vernetta Burkhalter, Secretary
Lakendra Anderson, Treasurer
Demond Halsey, Member
Executive appointments by the Board of Directors
Lakendra Anderson, President/Executive Director
LaDacher Jackson, Director of Training & Development
Denise Rose, Asst Director of Training & Development
On Sunday, May 17, 2015 the Texas Step Team Association held its annual Awards Recognition Banquet where over 500 awards were given to students, coaches, schools, TSTA board members and executives who were recognized for high achievement during the 2014-15 stepping season.
Brooklyn Garrett, from Beckham Elementary (AISD), Brittany Given from Barbara Bush Middle School, (Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD) and Charlene Marvive, from LD Bell High School, (HEB ISD)won Academic Steppers of the Year U12, U14 and U19 respectively.
Sarai Gaucin from Thornton Elementary (AISD), Trinity Wells, from Oulsey Junior High and Kalen McFadden from LD Bell High School, (HEB ISD) won Stepper of the Year U12, U14 and U19 respectively.
The coaching staff of Goodman Elementary, Barbara Bush Middle School and Bowie High School were awarded Coach of the Year U12, U14, U19.
Demond Halsey, TSTA Director of Training and Development won the Executive of the Year Award.
The Most Improved Team Award went to Anderson Elementary, (AISD), John Horn High School, (Mesquite ISD) and Beckham Elementary (AISD).
Martin Weiss Elementary, (Dallas ISD), Barbara Bush Middle School, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD) and Rowlett High School, (Garland ISD) won the Theme of the Year Award.
The Most Outstanding Team Awards were awarded to The HYPE Divas, (Addison, TX), Barbara Bush Middle School, (Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD), Goodman Elementary, (AISD), Martin Weiss Elementary, (Dallas ISD), LD Bell High School, (HEB ISD) and Bowie High School, (AISD).
The Member Service Award was awarded to over 200 steppers, coaches, board members and executives.
Chris Caldwell, Demond Halsey and Lisa Yanigida were recognized for their contributions to the Texas Step Team Association and the Art of Stepping.
Garland ISD was awarded School District of the Year.
The District, State and National Winners were also recognized with individual awards for each member for their outstanding achievement.
Each year the Texas Step Team Association hosts a judging workshop for anyone who wants to judge at competitions during the current season. On Saturday, November 8, 2014 the Texas Step Team Association hosted its annual judging workshop for TSTA judges at Lake Highlands High School. These individuals have agreed to judge the TSTA competitions throughout the 2014-15 stepping season. Demond Halsey, TSTA Director of Training and Development detailed the changes that have been made to the scoring process for the 2014-15 season. Brandon Johnson stated "I was thinking about not coming but I am glad I did. Not only will I be eligible for the certification but I know exactly what to look for this season because so much has changed." Once judges have had the training they can become certified by judging 4 competitions. Certified judges are then eligible to judge at national competitions.
"This workshop gets better ever year. I feel more prepared than I did in the past years." stated Monica Smith. Halsey, who is also the Asst Director of Training and Development for the National Stepping Association said that the Silo Scoring system was pioneered by TSTA several years ago, and it has now been adopted by the NSA and is being used by stepping leagues across the country. Halsey stated that he chaired a national committee that revamped the TSTA score card so that it would be applicable to different stepping styles and elements across the country. It is the most comprehensive score card in the country. During the workshop 36 individuals were trained as judges for the 2014-15 stepping season.
NSSA Championship Weekend 2014 - Heading to Chicago
by posted 11/05/2013
The 8th annual NSSA championship weekend will take place in the Chicago suburb of Wheeling, Illinois the weekend of April 11th, 2014. The event will be co-hosted by the Illinois Step League (ISL).
For the first time in 4 years, the U-14 and U-19 championship event will take place the same weekend in the same city. Earlier this year U-14s nationals were held in St. Louis, while Nashville hosted the U-19s nationals. Chicago will be the first city other than Nashville to host the high school division championship when held there in April.
“We are excited to host Nationals,” stated Victor Hicks, an ISL Board member and coach of a middle school team in Chicago. “Along with a great competition we have tours for student participants of Northwestern University. It should be an enjoyable weekend for the teams, coaches, and supporters. We have already heard from teams in Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, and New York City working hard to get to Chicago with step league-generated and at-large bids.”
More detailed information about the championship weekend will be available starting in early December. To request more information email
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On Saturday, November 2, 2013, several TSTA Member teams including Starrett Elementary, John Horn High School and other teams from across the DFW area participated in the H.Y.P.E Obesity Walk-a-Thon at Haltom High School. This helped our member teams satisfy 3 of the 24 required community service hours.
The purpose of this walk was to educate and to raise awareness about childhood obesity, in the efforts to increase daily exercise and eating healthier. Aspire – Haltom High School has collaborated with Helping Youth Prepare for Excellence Incorporated (H.Y.P.E), Texas Step Team Association, and Whatever It Takes Catering and Event Planning to strengthen students’ awareness about Childhood Obesity. “H.Y.P.E Inc. is an official Advocate of the President’s Challenge Program, and Aspire- Haltom High School has joined them to promote healthy living through their Buff Fit Clubs.
On Saturday, October 19, 2013, Arlington Lamar High School hosted the Texas Step Team Association’s 1st Annual Fall Step Camp. This was the largest Step Camp ever held in the State of Texas. There were over 180 attendees and 15 teams from across the State that attended the camp. The campers ranged from ages 5 to 17. Demond Halsey, TSTA’s Director of Training & Judging Protocol, had been preparing for this camp for over 3 years. He has been to several NSSA camps over the past 3 years as well as national competitions. Halsey said “I felt like we would be able to host a successful camp because of all the things that I had learned while helping with the National Camps that I have attended over the last few years. Lakisha Lias, sponsor at Irving Nimitz High School said “this camp was great. I loved it.” Chris McCall, sponsor at Huntsville High School stated that he was very impressed by what he saw throughout the day.
During the camp, students learned the skills necessary to compete at the highest level. Students attended 5 sessions and a leadership summit during the camp. Monique Booker, Coach of MA ‘at Steppers of Desoto facilitated the session on Theme Writing. She said “OMG they all had questions and they were really good questions and I answered every one of them. We asked several students what they thought about the camp. Janae H. (Bowie) stated that she thought the camp was going to be boring but it was a lot of fun and she learned a lot. Frankie H. (Le Mieux) said “I had so much fun and I got to meet a lot of new people.”
After speaking with numerous steppers, parents and sponsors and getting their reaction about the camp, I asked Chris Caldwell, TSTA Board President what made the camp so successful.
“From the start we have been committed to making everything we do in the organization about the kids and their needs. In particular, we made sure that the camp’s values and mission were congruent with our goal and then we looked to see if its activities matched both our goals and the stepper’s interests. You're looking for something educational but not simply an expansion of school. A day camp should be unique, with a wide range of activities that a stepper wouldn't otherwise have access to, it should get them up and moving and building new skills” says Caldwell.
Overall, it was a great camp. Look for more exciting things to come from TSTA this season.
