If I Could…I Would

By Tracey Bivens

Someone asked me the other day if I was surprised that not many couples were vying to get into the World’s Largest Steppin Contest this year. I said not at all. That same person asked me if I thought the reason had anything to do with fairness in the contest. Well, after Detroit’s Drew Alexander dominated several categories along with Detroit’s Darrell and Angie, I couldn’t agree with that once popular notion. The person continued to prod and asked me if I thought it had anything to do with Tyk, Dre, Westside Mike, Charnice, Tina (yes, I added the women’s names because men alone do not win a contest) and others not getting into the contest. I said no because what do these one time or multiple contest winners have to prove? Didn’t Dre’ win the Masters Category with Shareda last year? That’s a top shelf win…or so I thought.  After showing signs of being exasperated the person finally said, “Well Tracey…what do you think the problem is?”  I gave another theory that a lot of people don’t seem to be focusing on.

The economy. I know 97 people...PERSONALLY…that have been laid off from their jobs in Michigan in the last six months. I’m sure Michigan is not the only state that has this problem. For those of you who don’t know what “being laid off” means it means if you once got paid $10.00 a week, unemployment will give you about $4.00 a week to live off of. Laid off in the sense that money does not allow for people to have a disposable income that in this discussion would be applicable to buying clothes for contests, paying for transportation to the contest, going to the city to try out for the contest category, etc. The economy is showing no signs of improving anytime soon because the “debt ceiling” is so low…President Obama is breaking his back trying to hold it up. Has anyone considered that that reason alone may be the reason SOME people are not breaking their necks to get into the contest?

The World’s Largest has provided approximately two decades of entertainment, education, excitement, controversies and money making opportunities for all parties involved. There is no other contest that can boast of the numbers that this contest has drawn to it but it shocks me to hear insinuations that people are scared or that instructors aren’t encouraging their students to participate. I understand that investors are in over their heads with this contest but reality is reality. How far do we want to go with the jabs in order to be entertained?

I wonder if there is a former/perspective WLSC contestant that is hearing these conversations that sound accusatory in nature and spirit about people not stepping up to the “contest plate.” I wonder if that person is trying to guess how long their unemployment benefits are going to last or if they are thinking about being forced to move in with a relative to make ends meet versus what new moves they were going to do in the contest. If the desire to enter the contest is there but the means of meeting those desires aren’t…then what?