Schaumburg Prairie Center presents 'Step Afrika!' Nov. 10
"Step Afrika!" the first professional dance company dedicated to the tradition of stepping, performs at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10.
Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, "Step Afrika!" has evolved from an exchange program with Soweto Dance Theatre into one of the top ten African American Dance Companies in the U.S., touring from its base in Washington D.C., to Jordan, Ghana, Croatia, Dubai, Poland and other destinations. The company draws its style from stepping, a percussive, highly energetic art form first developed through the song and dance rituals performed by African American fraternities and sororities. In stepping, the body becomes an instrument, using footsteps, claps and spoken word to produce complex polyrhythms.
For the Prairie Center, hosting "Step Afrika!" is part of a continued effort to bring community audiences diversity in programming.
"Global, high-profile offerings like 'Step Afrika!' are usually exclusive to larger metropolitan venues, so we're fortunate to be able to bring them here," says Tiana Weiler, director of Schaumburg's Department of Cultural Services. "We also have the benefit of presenting these artists in a smaller venue, where no seat is more than 15 rows from the stage," adds Weiler.
This season alone the Prairie Center presented the acclaimed Mariachi Herencia de Mexico in October and continues its internationally inspired roster with artists including the Peking Acrobats on Feb. 9, and tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain on March 15.
Tickets for "Step Afrika!," are $54; $46 for students and seniors, and can be ordered online at prairiecenter.org or by calling (847) 895-3600.
The Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts is at 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. The center also has availability for the company's school program to be performed at 9:45 a.m. on Nov. 10; reservations can be made by calling (847) 895-3600.
"Step Afrika!" is sponsored by 90.9 fm WDCB Listener-Supported Public Radio. This program is part of the Prairie Center's 2023-24 season of arts and entertainment, presented by the village of Schaumburg.