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June 2, 2009

Step Afrika



Step Afrika! is the first professional company in the world dedicated to the tradition of stepping. Founded in December 1994, the company is critically-acclaimed for its efforts to promote an understanding of and appreciation for stepping and the dance tradition's use as an educational tool for young people worldwide. Step Afrika! reaches tens of thousands of Americans each year and has performed on many stages in North & South America, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean.

2 comments:

Exquisitely Black said...

Great video. I don't think many people even realize the African origins of the steps they do - it's in the blood :-)

Beauty Is Diverse said...

Yes its in the blood, I remember when I was young learning about the history of step dancing from an African dance group that came to Toronto. They taught us about gumboot dancing which is where step dancing originated from.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gumboot_dance

"African American stepping finds its origins in a combination of military close-order and exhibition drill, and African foot dances such as the Welly "gumboot" dance. It also originally drew heavily from the stage routines and movements of popular R&B groups such as the Temptations and The Four Tops."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepping_(African-American)

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