Celebrate National Arts in Education Week with Step Afrika!

This week, Step Afrika is celebrating what happens when young people step into the arts.

• In classrooms, at summer camp, and in theaters across the country, stepping brings students together, gets them moving, and gives them a chance to discover something new.
• Step Afrika!’s award-winning Arts Education programs serve students from PreK through 12th grade through high-energy performances, interactive workshops, and immersive residencies. Rooted in the values of teamwork, commitment, discipline, and academic achievement, each program builds confidence, fosters cultural understanding, and empowers students through the transformative power of stepping.
• Want to bring some stepping into your school day? Our teaching artists and performers work with schools throughout the greater Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia region to bring students an experience they can see, hear, and feel.

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.”

Start Stepping: stepafrika.org