Founded in 1989, the BKSteppers, began under the auspices of the Jackie Robinson Center for Physical Culture as the Jackie Robinson Steppers Marching Band, playing in the shadow of Ebbets Field and its great baseball ghosts. In 2004, the band reorganized to become the Brooklyn Steppers Marching Band. At that time, the band’s roster exploded to a peak strength of nearly 200 members, and the Steppers began receiving invitations to perform at major events all across the New York City metropolitan area. A typical performance schedule for the year consisted of dates with the New York Mets, New York Giants, New York Knicks, The United Nations and numerous film and television performances, with the band appearing on every major television network from ABC to MTV.

Under the leadership of our current Executive Director Antonio Thompson and a recently reconstituted and reinvigorated Board of Directors, the BKSteppers has introduced an ever-growing variety of music and dance education programming into selected public and charter schools, ranging from hand drumming lessons for spirited and rambunctious kindergarten students in Brooklyn to after-school marching percussion for middle school students of mostly Guyanese descent in South Ozone Park, Queens. Presently, the BKSteppers organization provides music and dance education services to approximately 250 young people.

Graduates of our programs have matriculated at many prestigious colleges and universities, including Howard University, Hampton University, South Carolina State University, New York University, Purchase College, Hobart William and Smith Colleges and Brooklyn College. Many of these students are awarded full music and dance scholarships. Additionally, our alumni make positive and impactful contributions to the local and global community. Highlights include performing with Beyonce at Coachella and Disney on Ice, working at Westchester Broadway Theater, the Kings County DA’s office and ABC 7 News – WJLA, and teaching music at North Carolina A&T University and BÄM! Berliner Äcademy für Marching Drums.