The Stompdown Festival · January 22–24, 2027 · Daytona Beach, Florida
The Stompdown
Founder · Visionary · Room Builder

Djuan
Ballinger.

Founder of The Stompdown and the leader behind a national platform created to expand opportunity, elevate the art of stepping and make room for teams across generations.

Read the Founder Story ↓Media & Speaking Inquiries
Djuan Ballinger, MBA, founder of The Stompdown
Founder of The StompdownDjuan Ballinger, MBA
Built from purpose

He Saw
A Gap.
Then Built
The Room.

In 2006, while at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Djuan Ballinger recognized that the university’s homecoming Greek step show was open only to Divine Nine Greek organizations.

As a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity—which had a step team—he understood that talented non-Divine Nine organizations needed a stage of their own.

Instead of waiting for an invitation, Djuan created the Non-Pan-Hellenic Greek Step Off: a new platform designed to showcase organizations that had been excluded from the existing competition.

We built the room.
The early stage

Representation
Became A
Movement.

The original show welcomed step teams representing organizations such as Alpha Phi Omega, Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Gamma Sigma Sigma, Sigma Lambda Gamma and Tau Beta Sigma.

What began as a response to limited access continued to grow—eventually becoming The Stompdown, a national championship platform for elementary, middle school, high school, independent and Greek step teams from across the country.

Alpha Phi Omega
Kappa Kappa Psi
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Gamma Sigma Sigma
Sigma Lambda Gamma
Tau Beta Sigma
Leadership in action

Purpose Beyond
The Stage.

Djuan’s work through The Stompdown centers on creating access, developing people and using culture as a force for connection.

01 / ACCESS

Create Opportunity

Open meaningful stages for teams and organizations that deserve to be seen, supported and celebrated.

02 / DEVELOPMENT

Build Leaders

Connect performance with education, professional development, confidence and long-term growth.

03 / COMMUNITY

Leave Impact

Bring students, families, educators, artists and community partners together through a shared cultural experience.

The Legacy
Is Still Building.

Today, Djuan continues expanding The Stompdown as a platform where elite competition, education, leadership and community meet.

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