Step Afrika!

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Sekou Lake

A group of dancers on stage.

Step Afrika!

This evening celebrating the African American art form of stepping should prove transformative to those looking to expand their cultural horizons or anyone just feeling stressed. Stepping, a grouping of percussive dance styles, combines songs and storytelling as well as agility and technique.

media release: Put your feet in motion and “step” on over to Overture Center for an evening of movement and celebration dedicated to the African American tradition of “stepping.” The international tour of Step Afrika! will perform in Capitol Theater on Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. All ages are welcome. Tickets ($25-$50) are available at overture.org.

Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping. Under Williams’ leadership, stepping has evolved into one of America’s cultural exports, touring more than 50 countries across the globe. Step Afrika! now ranks as one of the top 10 African American dance companies in the United States.

Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, traditional West and Southern African dances, and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows; they integrate songs, storytelling, humor and audience participation. The blend of technique, agility and pure energy makes each performance unique and leaves the audience with their hearts pounding.

Step Afrika! promotes stepping as an educational tool for young people, focusing on teamwork, academic achievement and cross-cultural understanding. The company reaches tens of thousands of Americans each year through a 50-city tour of colleges and theaters and performs globally as Washington, DC’s one and only Cultural Ambassador. Step Afrika! has earned many awards, including Mayor’s Arts Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education (2005), Innovation in the Arts (2008) and Excellence in an Artistic Discipline (2012), and performed at the White House for former President Barack Obama and the First Lady.

Step Afrika! is featured prominently at the Smithsonian’s new 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.

For more information, visit stepafrika.org.

MEET THE ARTIST: Stay after the show for a brief, informal Q&A in the theater with the artist.

Our show sponsor for Step Afrika! is The Burish Group of UBS. Overture is grateful for this community support that helps make these experiences possible.

OVERTURE CENTER FOR THE ARTS in Madison, Wis., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization that features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and four galleries where national and international touring artists, nine resident companies and hundreds of local artists engage people in nearly 700,000 educational and artistic experiences each year. With the vision to provide “Extraordinary Experiences for All,” Overture’s mission is to support and elevate our community’s creative culture, economy and quality of life through the arts. overture.org