Step Afrika! brings the beat
High-energy traditional African American stepping, live drumming, and vibrant storytelling come to the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech when Step Afrika! takes the stage on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m.
The company brings its self-titled work to Blacksburg, introducing stepping through both traditional and contemporary lenses. Step Afrika! specializes in percussive dance styles practiced historically by African American fraternities and sororities and traditional South African dances, such as the powerful dance of the Zulu Nation and the polyrhythmic South African gumboot dance.
Integrating songs, storytelling, humor, and audience participation, the performance is much more than a dance show. With everything from the thunderous stomp of synchronized footwork to soaring leaps and powerful chants, Step Afrika! celebrates history, unity, and the sheer joy of movement. Every performance is a shared experience, featuring lively call-and-response sequences creating an atmosphere of excitement and connection.
Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the world’s leading authority on the art form of stepping. Touring in more than 60 countries, it’s recognized as one of the top 10 African American dance companies in the U.S.
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 theatres and performs as Washington, D.C.’s one and only cultural ambassador.
The group has earned Mayor’s Arts Awards from the DC Creative Affairs Office for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education, Innovation in the Arts, and Excellence in an Artistic Discipline and was the first dance company to be inducted into the National Association of Campus Activities Hall of Fame.
Step Afrika! headlined President Barack Obama’s Black History Month reception and performed at the first Juneteenth Celebration at the White House. The company is featured prominently at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture with the world’s first stepping interactive exhibit and is the Guinness World Records title holder for "Largest Stepping Dance."
This performance is co-sponsored by the Black Cultural Center and the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and supported in part by gifts from Libby Drapeau and Mr. and Mrs. Howard C. Huang. Additional funding is provided by the Charles and Dorothy Lambert Endowment for the Arts.
Related events
Join Step Afrika! company members for a workshop incorporating the rhythm, physicality, and history of stepping on Thursday, Sept. 25, from 6:30-7:45 p.m. in the Creativity and Innovation District Residence Hall rehearsal room. Free and open to participants of all skill levels ages 14 and up, registration is required.
Explore the rich history and cultural resonance of step dancing with the artistic leadership of Step Afrika! during a free pre-performance discussion on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 6:30-7 p.m. in the Cube. Presented in partnership with the Lifelong Learning Institute at Virginia Tech, registration is required for this free event.
While visiting Virginia Tech, Step Afrika! artists will also lead a movement workshop for Blacksburg Middle School students and perform a free matinee show for 900 students and educators in grades three through eight from Giles, Craig, Montgomery, Pulaski, Floyd, Carroll, Franklin, and Botetourt counties and the cities of Radford, Roanoke, and Salem. In collaboration with Hokie Wellness, Virginia Tech faculty and staff will attend the student matinee performance and discuss the arts’ role in fostering community.
Local families will attend the evening performance and enjoy a pre-show meal through the community ticket program. Offered in partnership with New River Community Action, the program helps build community and provides greater access to Center for the Arts programs for under-resourced families.
Tickets
Tickets are $20-$55 for general audience and $10 for students and youth 18 and under. Tickets can be purchased online; at the Center for the Arts box office, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; or by calling 540-231-5300 during box office hours.
Venue and parking information
The performance will be held in the center’s Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre, located within the Street and Davis Performance Hall at 190 Alumni Mall. Convenient parking is available in the North End Parking Garage on Turner Street and in downtown Blacksburg. Find more parking details online.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Jamie Wiggert at least 10 days prior to the event at 540-231-5300 or email wiggertj@vt.edu during regular business hours.
