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Steppers of KC (SOKC) is a Kansas City dance organization founded in 2011 with a single mission: to keep the art of KC-style 2-Step — a distinct Black-Kansas-City social-dance heritage, NOT country two-step — alive through teaching, performing, themed monthly socials, and community service.

[!warning] Roving / host-venue organization map-pin — Steppers of KC is roving (no fixed studio); it teaches/performs across the metro and hosts socials at partner venues (notably Pete’s Place Restaurant & Lounge). Pin host venues (Pete’s Place) or list as a community entity rather than a single fixed address. Decision needed from Strategist.

[!note] Wiki cross-link KC-style 2-Step is a high-value KC cultural-heritage subject. A dedicated Wiki page kc-style-2-step (Black-Kansas-City social-dance tradition, late-1950s–60s lineage) is being drafted separately; this Registry page is the living-organization counterpart and should cross-link to it once published.

Description

Steppers of KC (SOKC) is a Kansas City dance organization whose stated mission is “to keep the art of KC style 2-stepping alive.”12 The group teaches, performs, and hosts social events centered on KC-style 2-Step — a partner social dance that is a genuine, locally-rooted Black-Kansas-City cultural tradition, distinct from (and frequently confused with) country/western two-step.234 KC 2-Step emerged within Black Kansas City communities — tracing to the late 1950s and crystallizing among teenagers in the 1960s — as the big-band-era jitterbug and Lindy Hop gave way to mellower Doo-wop, R&B, and Motown danced in smaller venues; as longtime steward De Barker puts it, “It came from the scraps, and we made it into something glorified.”34 It is, in Barker’s words, a dance that is “only done here.”4

SOKC operates as a roving, host-venue organization rather than a fixed-address studio. Its recurring themed socials are held at Pete’s Place Restaurant & Lounge (e.g., “Shorts and Sundresses,” July 3, 2026; “Shades of Gray,” July 31, 2026; tickets ~$17.85 via Eventbrite), and the group travels across the metro and to other cities and states to teach and showcase the dance.56 In February 2026, the Steppers of KC delivered a KC-2-Step heritage presentation — historical context plus hands-on instruction — at the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library’s South Branch.7

Beyond the dance floor, SOKC is community-service-forward: it hosts an annual Pink Party to raise breast-cancer awareness (donating funds to area hospitals), adopts families during the holiday season, and teaches dance in schools.8

Ownership and history

Steppers of KC was founded in September 2011, originating at Club Babeeboys in Grandview, Missouri, and is led by Dionne Thatcher and Jeff Thatcher.98 Over the years it grew from roughly 10 founding members to about 75 and became, by its own account and local reputation, “one of the most sought-after 2-step groups in Kansas City and other dance communities.”8

The organization sits inside a larger, currently-thriving KC 2-Step revival scene that includes other stewards and instructors — De Barker (the “Queen of KC 2-Step,” who hosts the annual Step Off competition and teaches in schools) and Stanley Taylor (instructor at Culture X, “Home of the 2 Step”), among others — though those figures are distinct from SOKC and should not be conflated with the Thatchers.34

Timeline

YearEvent
Late 1950s–1960sKC-style 2-Step emerges in Black Kansas City (origin of the dance form, not the org)34
Sep 2011Steppers of KC founded; originates at Club Babeeboys, Grandview, MO8
(ongoing)Grows from ~10 to ~75 members; annual Pink Party, holiday family adoption, school teaching8
Feb 26, 2026KC 2-Step heritage presentation at KCK Public Library, South Branch7
Jul 2026Themed socials at Pete’s Place (“Shorts and Sundresses” 7/3; “Shades of Gray” 7/31)6

Sources

Disputes

None at this time. (Note: do not conflate SOKC’s Thatchers with other KC-2-Step figures — De Barker, Stanley Taylor — who are part of the same scene but distinct people/organizations.)

Footnotes

  1. http://www.sokcparty.com/home.html — Official website home page (TLS-cert-invalid; accessed via search index). Asserts: SOKC mission “to keep the art of KC style 2-stepping alive”; teaches, performs, holds social events. ↩

  2. https://www.kckpl.org/event/kc-2-step-presentation-steppers-kc-88958 — Kansas City, Kansas Public Library event page. Asserts: “The Steppers of KC, a dance organization that has a mission to keep the art of Kc style 2-stepping alive”; presented KC-style 2-Step history + hands-on instruction. ↩ ↩2

  3. https://www.communityvoiceks.com/2024/07/13/kansas-city-two-step-culture/ — The Community Voice, “Kansas City Two-Stepping, a Black Cultural Phenomenon” (Jul 13, 2024). Asserts: KC 2-Step originated late 1950s out of jitterbug/Lindy Hop as music mellowed (Doo-wop/R&B/Motown); De Barker: “It started with dancing in a little square, and then the teenagers in the ’60s created Kansas City two-step”; “It’s expressing our roots, our longevity, and our culture”; a cornerstone of Black Kansas City culture. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  4. https://www.kshb.com/news/black-history-month/step-by-step-kansas-citys-black-legacy-in-motion — KSHB 41, “Step by Step | Kansas City’s Black legacy in motion.” Asserts: KC 2 Step emerged in the 1960s within Black communities during segregation; De Barker (“Queen of KC 2 Step”): “It came from the scraps, and we made it into something glorified,” “it’s only done here”; Stanley Taylor teaching the next generation at Culture X (“Home of the 2 Step”). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL_lbcpQQZU — “Steppers Of Kansas City Jeff Thatcher SOKC in Topeka Kansas at Steven Massey Event” (YouTube). Asserts: SOKC (with Jeff Thatcher) performs/travels regionally to showcase the dance (e.g., Topeka, KS event). ↩

  6. https://www.eventbrite.com/o/the-steppers-of-kc-25543526755 — The Steppers of KC organizer profile (Eventbrite). Asserts: currently-active themed socials at Pete’s Place Restaurant & Lounge — “Shorts and Sundresses” (Fri Jul 3, 2026, 8:00 PM) and “Shades of Gray” (Fri Jul 31, 2026, 8:00 PM); tickets from ~$17.85. ↩ ↩2

  7. https://www.kckpl.org/event/kc-2-step-presentation-steppers-kc-88958 — KCK Public Library event listing. Asserts: “KC 2-Step Presentation with The Steppers of KC,” Thursday, February 26, 2026, 6:00–7:00 PM, South Branch Library, Conference Room A — historical context plus hands-on instruction. ↩ ↩2

  8. http://www.sokcparty.com/about.html — Official About page (TLS-cert-invalid; via search index). Asserts: founded September 2011; originated at Club Babeeboys, Grandview, MO; grew from ~10 to ~75 members; “one of the most sought-after 2-step groups”; annual Pink Party for breast-cancer awareness with donations to area hospitals; adopts families during the holidays; teaches dance in schools. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  9. http://www.sokcparty.com/contact.html — Official contact page (TLS-cert-invalid; via search index). Asserts: Dionne Thatcher and Jeff Thatcher listed as the organization’s contacts/leaders (dionnethatcher@hotmail.com). ↩

See also

  • Registry
  • Owner-And-History-Research-Toolchain
  • Dance-Social-Compilation-Strategy
  • kc-style-2-step
Categories

On the record — ks.city/registry/steppers-of-kc · record updated 2026-06-23