The Browne Middle School Step Team has come a long way since forming in December, and
will travel this weekend to Providence College to perform at the school’s Diversity Festival.
The team includes (front row) Hector ‘El Jefe’ Roman and Jennifer ‘Vice Perea’ Perea. (Back
Row) Teacher and Coach Asha Chana, Cristal ‘Flaka’ Santana, Keyvin ‘Macho’ Rodriguez, and
Brianna ‘The Captain’ Wesley.
This Saturday, April 13th, the Browne Middle School Step Dance team heads to Providence College, where they will perform before thousands of students participating in the College’s Diversity Festival.
Since December, when the group first came together, Teacher Asha Chana and five students have developed not just their dancing abilities but genuine friendships.
Eighth grader Brianna ‘The Captain’ Wesley noted the transformation: “We went from just being a group to becoming a team – a real step team.” She continued, “We have gone from all being cool with each other to being besties with each other.”
The art form itself combines choreographed movement with the physical sounds of the dancers themselves—clapping, stomping, and sometimes chanting along with the music. This multifaceted approach to expression particularly attracted Wesley and her teammates.
Wesley explained her appreciation for the discipline: “You can express yourself in so many ways. I say it’s better than other dance styles because you’re stomping your feet and clapping and doing other stuff to show the way you feel.” She added, “I’ve done step before and it allows you to show emotion.”
For eighth grader Keyvin ‘Macho’ Rodriguez, step dancing was entirely new. “I didn’t know anything about step dancing; I had never even heard of it,” he recalled. “I was walking by the classroom and saw them practicing and came in to watch. I kept watching and then I tried it, and I had it down. Ms. Chana told me I had to be on the team, and now I love it.”
The roster also includes Cristal ‘Flaka’ Santana, a 9th grader at Chelsea High who participated in last year’s Browne Step Team, Jennifer ‘Vice Perea’ Perea, an 8th grader, and Hector ‘El Jefe’ Roman, also in 8th grade.
Chana had established a step dance team the previous year with strong results, and Santana served as one of its primary dancers. This year, student interest led to step being offered as an elective during the school’s Extended Learning Time day—a state-funded program at Browne that extends the school day to allow students several additional hours per week for courses such as dance.
Team members have adopted formal nicknames and maintain a distinctive uniform of tan Timberland boots and black T-shirts. They have also instituted stringent expectations regarding grades and behavior, with consequences for violations including removal from the team.
Wesley stated the policy: “If you have a ‘D,’ you have to bring it up or you get kicked off.” She continued, “We also all signed a contract that we can’t have any bad behavior. Keeping our grades up is the most important thing here.”
According to Chana, “They really hold each other accountable and they’re disciplined and they check on each other’s work.”
For Chana, the Providence College opportunity carries personal significance. “I was an officer in the Multicultural Club there when I was in college and every year they call me to see if I have a step team that could participate in the festival,” she explained. “I never had one that could travel there until this year. This was the first year I was able to tell them we were coming. This is really an amazing team we have and they’ve shown perseverance, dedication and improvement.”
The group has been intensely focused during recent practices. Today, Thursday, they will perform as a warm-up at 2:30 p.m. before the entire Browne Middle School community to refine their performance.
Beyond Providence, the team is preparing to participate in next month’s Walk for Hunger and is seeking financial support. Wesley noted that the Step Team would be available to perform for schools and organizations throughout Chelsea. “We do need help raising money for the walk and we’ll perform for any school or organization in Chelsea to help raise money,” she said. The students have expressed enthusiasm about both the Providence performance and their fundraising efforts.