Step dancing originated in Africa as a means of communication in coal mines. In 2006, the SBU Step Team was created to use both dance and step for entertainment and to promote diversity on campus.
The SBU Step Team holds tryouts at the beginning of the semester, and then practices a few times a week. The team performs at a variety of places, from basketball games to its own shows. The team holds a talent show in the fall, and in the spring hosts a step show in which it competes with invited teams from other colleges and universities.