The History of the Kane
Why Kappa's Have Kanes
page 2

All throughout the 50's and 60's, canes used in the art of stepping were standard canes of approximately 36 inches in length, give or take half a foot. Eventually, as stated before, the canes would be adorned with the Fraternity colors of crimson and cream, but they were still standard length. Members of Kappa Alpha Psi would perform routines know as "Taps" where the canes would be beaten on the ground in time with the rhythmic beat of the step show.

The turn of the decade would reveal an evolution in cane stepping known today as "twirling". Undergraduate members of Kappa Alpha Psi in the 70's, not content with Taps alone, would then create a new form of cane mastery which involved much more skill and talent than merely banging the cane on the ground in a certain beat.

During the 70's, members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. began to "twirl" canes.

The Traditional "Tap" is performed.

The new "twirl" is performed.

Now that "twirling" had become the new style of cane stepping among Kappa undergrads, members were constantly searching for better and faster styles. One problem that Kappa's faced during this time is that they were still practicing the step show routines using the standard sized, 3 foot canes which can be seen above in both photographs. Kappa's widely found that while standard length canes worked fine for tapping, they became a hindrance when it came time to twirl. Thus, cane stepping evolved once again with the birth of the short cane, which can be seen below.

Members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. twirling short canes in 1978.
This new evolution of the short cane during the later 1970's has remained constant to this day, as can be seen in this recent photo of Kappa's stepping.

Members of the Kappa Beta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc
perform a step show at the University of Memphis in 1999
Note that the average cane is about knee high (app. 2 feet)

Thus, the full length cane, as well as standing straight up in order to perform a "Tap", has been sacrificed, making way for twirling ability and speed.

Backtracking for a moment, a very important part in cane stepping history was the acceptance of this trade by the Grand Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. All the aforementioned events have involved the undergraduate members of the Fraternity. However, cane stepping, even from its beginnings during the 1950's, has not been considered an official part of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. until as of late. The National Organization was slow to accept this as an official part of the Fraternity, even

though undergraduate members, across the entire United States, were widely participating in the art and tradition of cane stepping.

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