URBANA – A group has Champaign-Urbana residents dancing away with new moves by teaching them a beloved Chicago tradition.
The Era Footwork Collective came to Champaign-Urbana on September 7 to teach people how to do “footwork” at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. The organization’s mantra is “Footwork Saves Lives”.
Sterling “Steelo” Lofton is a member of the group and has been dancing on the Windy City’s music scene for decades.
Lofton said footworking is more than moving to music. The dance style is a form of expression that can help people who are considering harming themselves.
“Whether you’re going through it with your kids, family issues, [or] personal issues, it’s something you can use to get free, to escape,” he explained. “Or like I said, let that emotion out through motion.”
Jamal “Litebulb” Oliver is also a member of the Era Footwork Collective and says footworking was born from Chi-town’s House Music genre and previous moves dancers showcased before it had a name.
“They were doing these, you know, moves called ‘the ghost’, certain house dances, or certain hip hop moves,” he said. “But it wasn’t until the 90’s where Ant Brown and ‘The Dungeon’ and some other footworkers kind of took those moves and put them into combination.
Footwork involves hopping, kicking, and twisting with the help of one’s hands.
Locals Adam Kruse and his daughter, Gloria, are pleased by how they quickly grasped the dance.
“It’s just really cool to be able to do that,” Gloria said. “It feels good.”
“And they broke it down so well to make, you know, everybody welcome and be able to participate,” Adam added. “And then they kept just reminding us and encouraging us and telling us, you know, ‘it’s okay if it looks different.’ ‘If you do it your way instead’, you know, which made it fun and inviting.
Lofton said footworking heled him when he faced adversity.
“One of those monumental moments was when I lost my mom at 19, and the community, or the camaraderie feel of a brotherhood, having somebody who enjoys the same thing, or they speak this language, if you will,” he shared. “So when I lost my mother, I had my brothers.”
Sterling also shared that using footworking as an outlet can lead to discovering new things. He said it led to him realizing he had a love for fashion.