| 1 | # Chicago Stepping App: Dad's Idea List (structured) |
| 2 | |
| 3 | *Source: dad's handwritten list (`IMG_1055.jpg`), transcribed 2026-06-24.* |
| 4 | *Authoritative definition and scope corrected 2026-06-28 from dad's voice memos* |
| 5 | *(`Plan-Transcribe/IMG_2444-2448.MOV`); see `DADS_PLAN_SEQUENCED.md`.* |
| 6 | *Verbatim items preserved; structured by theme below to seed feature-mapping.* |
| 7 | |
| 8 | --- |
| 9 | |
| 10 | ## What stepping is (authoritative definition) |
| 11 | |
| 12 | **Chicago stepping** (often just "steppin'") is a smooth, gliding partner dance that originated in the African American community of Chicago's West and South sides. It evolved during the 1940s-60s out of the jitterbug and the 1950s glide-and-stride dance known as **the bop**, drawing on the two-step, swing, bebop, six-count, eight-count, and ballroom. It is danced in the pocket of soulful music, lead and follow, on a 6-/8-count. (Dad's words, `IMG_2446` + `IMG_2447`.) |
| 13 | |
| 14 | > Scope note: this is **Chicago stepping**, the partner dance, NOT Greek / Divine Nine (NPHC) stepping. There are no fraternities, sororities, chapters, step shows, strolls, Greek letters, or stomp-clap percussion here. Read every feature through that lens. The core social object is a **"set"**: a partner-dance social gathering in a city. Dad's words (`IMG_2446`): *"it's a difference... between Chicago stepping and Greek stepping. So this here is Chicago stepping."* |
| 15 | |
| 16 | ## One-liner (what this app is) |
| 17 | |
| 18 | A **Chicago stepping community app**: find sets, weekenders, classes, and workshops in each city; see who's DJing and who's promoting; connect with the stepping groups, DJs, promoters/hosts, and classes in town; watch and **live-stream** sets; and get city travel info (hotels, restaurants, malls, attractions, hospitals) for traveling to out-of-town sets and weekenders. Open community posting with comments. Dad's north star (`IMG_2446`): *"one place, organized by city, where the Chicago-stepping community posts and finds what's going on,"* replacing scattered YouTube and Facebook Live. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | --- |
| 21 | |
| 22 | ## Decisions & Scope (confirmed 2026-06-24; cities re-confirmed 2026-06-28) |
| 23 | |
| 24 | - **Platform / sequencing:** **Web app first** (responsive web / PWA), then native **iOS (App Store)** and **Android (Google Play)**. Build the web app first; package native afterward. |
| 25 | - **Live feature:** **Live streaming** (live video of sets / weekenders / events). |
| 26 | - **Content posting:** **Anyone can post for now** (open contribution, no gated roles in MVP). Moderation/roles deferred. |
| 27 | - **Monetization:** **Undetermined for now**: design so it can be added later (promoter listings, ticketing, ads), but no paywall in MVP. |
| 28 | - **Launch cities:** **Chicago (flagship), Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Charlotte, Washington-DC/DMV**: strong steppin' scenes; dad himself names Houston and Charlotte. |
| 29 | |
| 30 | ## Launch-city research (for "look into it for me") |
| 31 | |
| 32 | Chicago stepping's center of gravity is **Chicago**, where the dance was born and where the deepest sets, weekenders, and classes still run. From there the scene spreads to a handful of cities with active steppin' communities and recurring out-of-town weekenders: |
| 33 | |
| 34 | 1. **Chicago, IL: flagship and home market.** The dance originated here; the densest sets, DJs, instructors, and weekenders are here. Seed this city deepest. |
| 35 | 2. **Atlanta, GA.** Large, active steppin' community and a regular stop for traveling weekenders. |
| 36 | 3. **Detroit, MI.** Strong Midwest steppin' scene with its own set culture. |
| 37 | 4. **Houston, TX.** Dad names Houston directly (`IMG_2444`); active sets and an out-of-town draw. |
| 38 | 5. **Charlotte, NC.** Dad names Charlotte directly (`IMG_2445`, "if you're in Charlotte"); a real traveling-stepper market. |
| 39 | 6. **Washington, DC / DMV.** Long-running steppin' presence and a weekender destination. |
| 40 | |
| 41 | **Recommendation:** launch with all six, with **Chicago** as the flagship and primary dogfood market. Seed Chicago first and fullest; stand the other five up as their event/promoter/DJ data is gathered. (City launch is data-entry-bound, not engineering-bound.) |
| 42 | |
| 43 | --- |
| 44 | |
| 45 | ## Dad's list: verbatim (two columns as written) |
| 46 | |
| 47 | | Left column | Right column | |
| 48 | |---|---| |
| 49 | | Promoters | Classes | |
| 50 | | Events | DJ's | |
| 51 | | Look @ videos | Where to find dancing sets (locations) | |
| 52 | | Can the app show concert promotions | Special events | |
| 53 | | App should have a live feature | Comment? Section | |
| 54 | | Event locations | Cities main attraction | |
| 55 | | Steppin groups in each city | Restaurants in each cities | |
| 56 | | Additional hotels (location) | Mall / shopping each city | |
| 57 | | Entertainment | Hospitals / near hotel set (event) | |
| 58 | |
| 59 | --- |
| 60 | |
| 61 | ## Structured by theme (mapped to dad's A-Q feature list) |
| 62 | |
| 63 | Dad's full feature list (A-Q) is the source of truth and lives in `DADS_PLAN_SEQUENCED.md`. The themes below carry the A-Q tags so nothing drops. |
| 64 | |
| 65 | **1. Core dance content** |
| 66 | - **Classes `[B]`**: steppin' lessons in each city (instructor, schedule, location). |
| 67 | - **Stepping groups `[K]`** in each city: local crews/communities (not chapters, not "step teams"). |
| 68 | - **Sets / dancing-set locations `[E]`**: where to find the sets (the partner-dance gatherings). |
| 69 | |
| 70 | **2. Events** |
| 71 | - **Events / promotions `[A]`**: upcoming sets, promotional posts. |
| 72 | - **Special events `[F]`**: special / cause events (dad names domestic-violence awareness as an example). |
| 73 | - **Promoters / hosts**: the people who throw sets and weekenders (implied throughout; they are the profiles behind the events). |
| 74 | - **Concert promotions**: *(dad's open question: "Can the app show concert promotions?")* |
| 75 | - **Event locations / venues `[I]`**: the actual event centers in that city. |
| 76 | |
| 77 | **3. Music** |
| 78 | - **DJs `[C]`**: stepping DJs / Chicago-stepping music DJs (who's spinning, where). |
| 79 | |
| 80 | **4. Media / Live** |
| 81 | - **Videos `[D]`**: per-city user-shared video ("somebody in Houston can send me the video"), tutorials, recaps, set footage. |
| 82 | - **Live `[G]`**: go live in-app for sets / event coverage. |
| 83 | |
| 84 | **5. Community** |
| 85 | - **Comments `[H]`**: under sets / events / videos. |
| 86 | |
| 87 | **6. Per-city travel guide (the "traveling stepper", items I-P)** |
| 88 | Dad, repeated: *"when you go out of town to certain cities."* |
| 89 | - **City main attraction(s) `[J]`**: "one or two main attractions" per city. |
| 90 | - **Restaurants `[L]`**: a couple featured near the set / host hotel. |
| 91 | - **Mall / shopping `[M]`**: "if you're in Charlotte, what's the closest mall to the event?" |
| 92 | - **Hotels `[N]`**: host hotel + additional nearby hotels. |
| 93 | - **Hospitals `[O]`**: closest hospital "just in case" (safety/medical near the venue). |
| 94 | - **Entertainment `[P]`**: other entertainment in the city tied to Chicago stepping. |
| 95 | |
| 96 | **7. Sustainability** |
| 97 | - **Monetization for upkeep `[Q]`**: ads, paid download, or free, to cover maintenance/edits/updates (frequent, every-few-days to weekly, run by the dev office). |
| 98 | |
| 99 | --- |
| 100 | |
| 101 | ## Open questions: resolved vs remaining |
| 102 | |
| 103 | **Resolved (2026-06-24; cities 2026-06-28):** |
| 104 | - Live feature -> **live streaming**. |
| 105 | - Who posts content -> **anyone, for now** (open posting). |
| 106 | - Monetization -> **undetermined for now** (deferrable, but modeled from day one). |
| 107 | - Platform -> **web app first**, then iOS + Android. |
| 108 | - Launch cities -> **Chicago (flagship), Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Charlotte, Washington-DC/DMV.** |
| 109 | |
| 110 | **Still open (for the planner / dad to decide):** |
| 111 | 1. **Concert/event promotions**: aggregate/display promos, or let posters add their own? (Default to open posting per the decision above.) |
| 112 | 2. **Per-city travel info**: curated guide vs pulled live from APIs (Google Places, hotels). How much steppin'-specific vs general? |
| 113 | 3. **Comment moderation**: open posting means abuse/spam risk; what is the minimum moderation for MVP? |
| 114 | 4. **Identity/verification**: any verification for promoters/stepping groups/DJs, or fully open at launch? |
| 115 | |
| 116 | --- |
| 117 | |
| 118 | ## Seed feature map (drop into Claude to expand) |
| 119 | ``` |
| 120 | CHICAGO STEPPING APP |
| 121 | ├─ DISCOVER (per city) |
| 122 | │ ├─ Sets / dancing-set locations (where, when, who) |
| 123 | │ ├─ Classes (instructor, schedule, price) |
| 124 | │ ├─ Stepping groups / crews |
| 125 | │ └─ DJs (who's spinning, where) |
| 126 | ├─ EVENTS |
| 127 | │ ├─ Sets, weekenders, special events |
| 128 | │ ├─ Promotions / concert promos |
| 129 | │ ├─ Promoters / hosts (profiles, their events) |
| 130 | │ └─ Event locations / venues |
| 131 | ├─ MEDIA |
| 132 | │ ├─ Videos (tutorials, recaps, set footage) |
| 133 | │ └─ LIVE feature (sets / event coverage) |
| 134 | ├─ TRAVEL (per city, for the traveling stepper) |
| 135 | │ ├─ Hotels (+ additional hotels near the set) |
| 136 | │ ├─ Restaurants |
| 137 | │ ├─ Malls / shopping |
| 138 | │ ├─ City main attraction + entertainment |
| 139 | │ └─ Hospitals (near venue/hotel) |
| 140 | └─ COMMUNITY |
| 141 | └─ Comments (sets / events / videos / classes) |
| 142 | ``` |