|
Cheryl and Devan Powe
World's Largest Steppers Contest "Walker's Category" winners Devan and Cheryl Powe discuss their special victory with Dawn "Soy." ["Competing with Devan is special to me because of the love that I feel for him when I’m in his arms." - Cheryl Powe]
Soy: I’d like to first congratulate the both of you on your win. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Cheryl: Thank you.
Soy: How long have the two of you been competing together?
Cheryl: We started competing within the last 4 or 5 years.
Soy: Was the 4-5 years was that with your husband?
Cheryl: Specific to the WLSC, no because I've been in more than one category [in the] WLSC. I’ve had several great partners outside of Devan . I competed with Kirk Pacley, Royce Banks, Danny Stone and Maurice " Smoke" Dixon.
Devan: We competed in the Walking Category for two years. I wanted to take a break, [so we] didn’t do it last year and then we walked this year.
Cheryl: Yes HE wanted to take a break. So HE did that and WE came back this year.
Soy: What did you two do this year that you didn’t do the previous years that may have contributed to this win?
Devan: Nothing.
Cheryl: He…you know what…... you see I’mma hit him. (Everyone laughs)
Soy: Now be honest.
Devan: Well quite honestly……
Cheryl: Ok, well that is true. We didn’t’ practice.
Devan: We didn’t practice this time around no more than the usual walking at the different sets and we didn't pick our music. We just wanted to dance. My thought was if we’re going to do this, let’s just walk. I didn't want to be on the stage waiting for our song to be played. A lot of times, you might find yourself waiting, as Cheryl says, on your get down song. Well, I didn’t want to do that this time. I just wanted to walk on whatever was played just as you would do at a typical set. I called Mellow Khris the week before and said whatever you play, that's what we are gonna walk to.
Soy: Prior to this year, had you picked the songs and practiced?
Cheryl: Yes we did both times and looking back, it never felt quite right.
Devan: Cheryl, the competitor, always wanted to practice and I’m like, ok, if we’re gonna walk then we’re gonna walk. I don’t do well with rehearsed moves. I don’t remember moves and don’t do well with putting in something that was rehearsed. So I don’t know if that played a part or not. However, in terms of the contest, we were trying to figure out what the judges wanted this year. Did they want classic/original walking or something different? Since our style is classic/original walking, that’s what we went with.
Cheryl: Basically, we really wanted to feel as natural as we possibly could. Nothing programmed and we didn’t really discuss it much. So the music choice and practice time wasn’t going to be there this year.
Soy: Oh okay. Whose idea was that? Did the two of you decide that or did by chance it just happen that way?
Devan: Mine….
Cheryl: No, it’s what Devan stated. He just didn’t want to do that. He made that choice so I just trusted his decision and just danced with him.
Soy: What did this win mean to you?
Devan: Cheryl.
Cheryl: Well, I’m the competitive one in this relationship and it meant a whole lot to me. My era/generation started back in Chicago during the mid 80’s. It was also a time where I was going off to college. I would come back and forth to Chicago on every school break and that wasn't enough. I knew everyone on the set back then but I wasn’t progressing in the dance like the people I started out with. Basically, everybody had passed me. So after graduation and then moving to Atlanta to work for Delta, I still felt like I wasn’t with my era. So for me it’s like I’m playing catch up to a generation that has already stopped competing in contests. You understand?
Soy: Hmm….
Cheryl: …and so to put the icing on the cake I won with my husband. That meant more to me and validated us as Walkers in my mind. We've been doing it for such a long time so it was sweet for me all the way around. So it’s real good for me. Like finally.
Devan: For me the win was more for Cheryl because I knew she wanted it. I’m really not one that’s competitive … in the dance that is. She said she would retire after the win and that was that.
Soy: Cheryl, I really appreciate you being transparent right now. I’m a person that thrives off of passion. I love speaking to people that are passionate about what they’re doing or what they believe in. Let me just say that when you were speaking it gave me chills. (Everyone laughs) Moving right along what was your biggest challenge in the competition?
Cheryl: Truly it was the outfits. (Laughing) It was an odd color and we couldn’t find anything that would match the dress. We initially were going to go with a royal blue and then I saw the green dress. Two days before coming to Chicago we found a shirt and my brother in law and my sister made the bow tie. We truly battled about that outfit. (Laughing) I’m telling you. (Laughing).
Devan: Yeah, yeah. I’m like ok. If we’re gonna do this it’s easier for her to find a dress to match what I’m going to wear. I mean that threw everything off and I'll never do that again. If there is a next time, she will have to go off what I'm wearing. (Laughing)
Soy: Ok. Who do you think was your biggest competitor? If there was one.
Cheryl: Everybody that stepped out on that stage. It could’ve been anybody’s night and anybody’s win. Anyone on that floor in the category that we were competing against were our competitors. Everybody that gets up there is a champion. Whenever you stand in front of people to be judged it’s a hard pill to swallow. So everybody is a champ in my eyes. We won that night but another night it could easily be somebody else. You understand?
Devan: Right. I got to give credit where credit is due. The people before us would say “We’re not competing against the couples but we’re competing for the prize.” That was the challenge to compete for the prize. We know most of the people that were in the Walking category and we like each other and all get along pretty good. So it’s not like I wanted to beat someone so bad or anything like that. It needed to be competitive but most importantly, it needed to be friendly.
Cheryl: ……Right friendly competition.
Soy: Do you feel that it was?
Cheryl: Yes, without a doubt I feel that it was friendly and that it was a good contest.
Devan: Yes. Yes.
Soy: Cheryl is there a difference in competing with a spouse as opposed to competing with another person?
Cheryl: There are definitely a whole lot of differences. Competing with Devan is special to me because of the love that I feel for him when I’m in his arms. That makes me feel safe. I know that he’s going to take care of me. Whether it’s on the dance floor or outside of this dancing arena? I trust him completely. Also, Walking music tells a story. Listen to the words and you can find yourself reminiscing and enjoying those special moments while dancing. I get totally lost in his arms. So to me there is a difference when you have a significant other as oppose to dancing with someone that’s not. Now, that’s not to say that one is better than the other. People who are not spouses or significant others have won many times and looked awesome doing it. We have all seen that over and over at the WLSC. It’s just a special feeling for ME when I'm Walking with my husband.
Devan: I think it’s the way people translate the music into the dance.
Soy: Wow, hmm.
Devan: People who are with each other will translate it differently than people who are not. I think that as far as walking only showed what OUR translation look and feel like.
Soy: Well said. Well said. Will you two compete next year?
Devan: I’m not. No.
Cheryl: Well you can never say never but as it stands today my answer is no.
Soy: Do you think it’s possible to develop and prepare couples out of the Atlanta area to compete in this category?
Cheryl: As an instructor, absolutely but the hunger and level of commitment has to be there. People have to put in the work if they truly want it. You just don’t wake up walking or stepping. You can’t wear your feelings on your sleeve if you don’t get the dance right away. Be patient with yourself. Both walking and stepping is a process and you simply cannot cheat the dance. You can't start at A, go straight to Z and skip B thru Y and expect results. Take your time and get the understanding of the dance and the music and if you truly want to be a walker, it’s there for the taking however, you got to put in the work.
Devan: I got a couple in mind right now.
Soy: My last question … What was your motivating factor in competing in the WLSC this year?
Cheryl: Devan.
Devan: Cheryl. It was Cheryl. Honestly, it was Cheryl.
Cheryl: …..and for me it was for him. I wanted it for him (Devan laughs). I really wanted it for him and to win with him. It’s hard to describe. It’s a bond and we’ve been together for such a long. Devan has been walking with me long before I could even walk. He would walk with me on that floor back in Chicago during the 90’s. I didn’t know anything about walking and looking back now, I was a hot mess! I know it didn't matter to him how I was dancing at that time. It was about how he felt about me and not about what we looked liked walking. Bottom line is that Devan taught me how to walk and he has been a walker for a very long time. So to win with my husband and the man who taught me to walk … Dawn, mere words alone cannot express my gratitude to Devan or how very special winning with him meant to me.
Soy: I’m glad you were able to experience that. WOW what other way to exit than to be with your husband and to make the accomplishments that you so desire.
Cheryl: Yes, but even if we had not won I still enjoyed being up there with him. It’s truly a different kind of feeling.
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
Tags: Interviews | WLSC
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed
