 The tradition of stepping is rooted within the competitive schoolyard song and dance rituals practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, beginning in the 1900s.Stepping finds its origins in a combination of military close-order and exhibition drill, and African foot dances such as the Welly "gumboot" dance.It also originally drew heavily from the stage routines and movements of popular R&B groups such as the Temptations and The Four Tops.