Step Afrika!

Welcome to The Evolution Tour!

PROGRAM THE EVOLUTION TOUR

SHOW DESCRIPTION THE EVOLUTION TOUR

Step Afrika! celebrates more than 30 years of critically acclaimed percussive performance with this groundbreaking program. As the world’s leading authority on the art form of stepping, Step Afrika! is committed to pushing the boundaries of the tradition, exploring its nearly limitless artistic possibilities. This evening’s production features exciting new dance works alongside a performance shaped and refined through the Company’s long-standing collaboration with South Africa.

Yebo CHOREOGRAPHED BY PELHAM WARNER JR.

Yebo (pronounced “yeah-boh”) is an isiZulu word meaning "yes" or "I agree.” This work combines the energy of Amapiano and Afro-Beat music with the latest dance movements and styles pouring out of the African continent. 

Passing 30 CHOREOGRAPHED BY CHRISTOPHER BRIENT WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM VARIOUS ARTISTS
This dynamic “step” work honors three decades of Step Afrika!’s creativity. Passing 30 features intricate choreography by some of the company’s most influential artists who have merged stepping with contemporary body percussion, spoken word, drumlines, and so much more. It’s a tribute to Step Afrika!’s ever-evolving commitment to present the art form of stepping like no one else in the world.

Zulu ORIGINALLY CHOREOGRAPHED BY JACKIE SEMELA

Since 1994, Step Afrika! has studied Zulu traditional dance through its partnership with the legendary Soweto Dance Theatre in the Republic of South Africa. In August 2024, Step Afrika! returned to Johannesburg for a month of exchange, rehearsal, remembrance, and celebration. This performance of Zulu features new solos and choreography developed during that residency—an explosion of rhythm and movement.

SOLO

Traditionally, stepping is performed by groups, big and small. In this Solo, Step Afrika! investigates the form at its most intimate level.

STRIKE CHOREOGRAPHED BY CONRAD R. KELLY II

The word percussion stems from the Latin percussio, meaning “to beat” or “to strike.” In this work, the artists of Step Afrika! strike their bodies and transform the stage into a percussive platform—while also playing one of the world’s oldest instruments. STRIKE is an exploration of rhythm, sound, and power, and it reminds us of the body’s outstanding capacity to speak, to command, and to resonate—without a single word. 
 

STRIKE is commissioned in part by Strathmore and the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities. The work premiered in June 2025 at Strathmore.

THE STORY OF STEP AFRIKA!
Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the world’s leading authority on the art form of stepping. Under Mr. Williams’ leadership, stepping has evolved into one of America’s cultural exports, touring more than 60 countries across the globe and ranking as one of the top 10 African American Dance Companies in the US. 

Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities; traditional 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 Mayor’s Arts Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education, Innovation in the Arts, Excellence in an Artistic Discipline, and was inducted into the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA) Hall of Fame, the first Dance Company to earn this honor. Step Afrika! headlined President Barack Obama’s Black History Month Reception and performed at the first ever Juneteenth Celebration at the White House. The Company is featured prominently at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture with the world’s first stepping interactive exhibit and is the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title holder for the “largest STEPPING dance”. Learn more about Step Afrika! at stepafrika.org.

COMPANY

Nya Christian 
Ariel Dykes 
Keomi Givens Jr. 
Jemeema S. Montrose 
Conrad R. Kelly II   Assistant Artistic Director
Isaiah O'Connor  
Keanu Powell 
Ericka Still  
Joseph Vasquez  
Pelham Warner Jr.  
Robert Warnsley 
TreShawn Williams
With special guest DJ JSparks

ADMINISTRATIVE, CREATIVE TEAM
C. Brian Williams, Founder & Executive Producer
Lamar Lovelace, Executive Director
Mfoniso Akpan, Artistic Director
Conrad R. Kelly II, Assistant Artistic Director
Pascha Barnwell, Company Manager  
Margo Cunningham, Senior Marketing Manager
Chrystal ‘Chrys’ Vaughan, Manager, Events and Special Projects
Milen Matthews, Manager, Arts Education and Community Programs
*Marianne Meadows, Production Manager/Lighting Supervisor
Paris Francesca, Costume Designer
*Zavier A.L. Taylor, Projections Designer
*Member of United Scenic Artists local 829

Thank you to our Corporate Sponsor, KWWL. Individual Sponsor, Nancy Crammond.

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