Step Afrika!
FAMILY WEEKEND CELEBRATION
Saturday, Sept. 30 at 7:30 PM
Alice R. Manicur Assembly Hall | FSU Lane University Center
Martha Redbone Photo credit/Sekou Luke
“In the bodies of these skilled performers, the beat is obviously unstoppable. Again and again, the dancers pick it up and pass it around with clapping hands and stomping feet, through the legs, behind the back, defiant and unified and inspiring.” (The New Times)
Unstoppable Rhythms, Foot-Pounding Energy and Time-Honored Traditions
Experience the pure, heart-pounding energy of Step Afrika! The vibrant percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities merge with traditional West and Southern African dances and an array of contemporary dance and art forms to create a compelling performance that integrates song, storytelling, humor and audience participation.
Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the first professional company dedicated to the percussive dance tradition of stepping. Under Williams’ leadership, the company has evolved to become one of America’s cultural exports, touring to more than 60 countries across the world. Step Afrika! is featured prominently at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture with the world’s first stepping interactive. In 2017, Step Afrika! made its off-Broadway debut with the critically acclaimed production, The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence.
ARTS BEYOND THE STAGE
ARTS FOR ENRICHMENT
Step Afrika!
Workshop: Introduction to Step Dance
Saturday, Sept. 30 at 3 PM
Atkinson Room, Lane University Center
Explore the basics of step dance with the artists of Step Afrika! Stepping is a percussive, highly energetic art form first developed through the song and dance rituals performed by African American fraternities and sororities. In stepping, the body becomes an instrument, using footsteps, claps and spoken word to produce complex polyrhythms.
Attendance is limited and registration is required.
