Step, Sisters

The senior members of the Unity Queen Steppers planned to leave high school on top. Then COVID happened.

In November 2019 I began working on THE COMMITTED. The vision was multi-faceted. It would be one part showcase for my abilities, one part exploration on the subject of commitment, and one part test — I wanted to prove to myself I could see something through to the end. “Step, Sisters” was there from the beginning, when I first reached out to the Unity Preparatory Charter School of Brooklyn for permission to feature their team of competitive step dancers, the Unity Queens, in a future photo essay. The plan was to spend a semester documenting the girls and their coach, Alley Olivier, and publish the story to my website. The school agreed and the work began several months later.

“Step, Sisters” was photographed over several days in 2020, including three in February before life came to a sudden halt. The pandemic had global implications, affecting almost every citizen on the planet. The Queens were no exception. Competitions were postponed only to get canceled. Students sheltered at home with their families. Learning moved online. High school seniors graduated with diminished fanfare. That’s just some of the story contained in “Step, Sisters”.

You won’t find the full story online. For the first time, I decided to issue a physical format — a 60-page book featuring 45 black-and-white images and four full-color portraits — which I self-published. A limited number were printed, 30 of which were donated directly to the Queens. This document called “Step, Sisters” remains a significant personal accomplishment, but it’s the work put in by the impressive Queens and their impactful coach that deserves real recognition. I am grateful to Unity Prep, Coach Alley and all the participating members for the opportunity to capture just a fraction of it.

The Unity Queen Steppers were photographed during February and August 2020 in Brooklyn, NY.

THE COMMITTED is an on-going series developed, photographed, written and published by Adrian Bacolo. To submit ideas for future entries, please email bacolos.photos@gmail.com.