Dance Diplomacy: DC’s Cultural Ambassador Step Afrika! Shares the Art of Stepping with the World

Step Afrika! dancers perform "Tribute", a piece dedicated to the tradition of stepping

DC is a town full of ambassadors, but how many of them do you know have dance moves and rhythm? I can’t think of any dignitaries that fit that bill, but there are 10 ultra-talented performers in the District who happen to be the area’s only cultural representatives to the rest of the country — and the world. The performers of the locally-based dance troupe Step Afrika! have built a legacy as ambassadors of stepping. No, not Irish step dancing, as my inner WASP immediately assumed, but a uniquely African-American art form cultivated on college campuses. In stepping, a dancer uses his or her body as an instrument to create intricate rhythms and sounds by footsteps, clapping, and spirited vocalizing.

DC residents certainly have their pick of stimulating and enriching cultural experiences, but if you’re like me, every so often you tire of sitting in your seat for three hours and clapping occasionally. To remedy this dilemma, I suggest going to one of Step Afrika!’s performances the next time they are in town. I guarantee they will get you out of your seat and stepping along with them. Last month, I reviewed Dance: Yes We Can, an impressive talent showcase of several different dance companies in DC. All performances in the showcase were worth seeing but Step Afrika! was so memorable I knew I wanted to learn more about this unique company.

In June, after a year of teaching their craft to the world, Step Afrika! returned to DC for a stunning homecoming performance at the Lansburgh Theatre. Entitled Access Granted: Home Performance Series 2010, Step Afrika! incorporated multimedia, DC’s DJ RBI, and violinist Brian-Joseph Uzuegbu (yes, I said violinist) into their signature program of spoken word and dance.

In addition to a few energetic season highlights that had the audience clapping along, the program featured a surprisingly candid look into Step Afrika!’s creative process. Dancer Makeda Abraham became teary eyed as she expressed the gratification the dancers feel sharing the art of stepping with students and audiences around the country and the world on their 10-month tour. Step Afrika!’s visionary founder and executive director C. Brian Williams gave me an overview of the company’s expansive season. “This year, the company performed in venues throughout the United States from Minnesota to Maine; Oregon to Ohio”, said Williams, “internationally, the company performed in Ecuador, Paraguay, Chile, South Africa, Madagascar, Canada and Zimbabwe.”

Following the performance, a VIP reception was held on the roof of the Sidney Harmen Hall. The reception, covered by Washington Life magazine, honored the dancer’s work with music, food and champagne against the backdrop of the city. In addition to leaders in DC’s artist community, the reception was attended by Step Afrika!’s devoted following, some who had seen the show six or seven times. As my friend Travis, who accompanied me to the event, affectionately put it, “we got to spend the night with 10 ambassadors.”

Step Afrika! is back on the road to share its unique percussive gift with the world’s diverse audiences. This month, the company embarked on a historic international tour and traveled to Morocco and Central America. Step Afrika! will soon return to DC for the “WPAS Summer Steps with Step Afrika!”, a six-day program which explores the tradition of “stepping” for students in grades 4-12.

I encourage readers to join me at Step Afrika!’s next homecoming performance. By the end of the night, you will be stopping your feet and calling the dancers out by name. In the mean time, be sure to read up on the art of stepping on their website: http://www.stepafrika.org/home.htm