The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Presents STEP AFRIKA! At The Byham Theater

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents the first professional company in the world dedicated to the tradition of stepping, STEP AFRIKA!, whose performers will ignite Pittsburgh audiences with their exuberant and extravagant stepping flair at the Byham Theater on Sunday, January 17, 2010. Cohen & Grigsby is the lead sponsor of the Trust Presents series.

C. Brian Williams, Founder and Executive Director of STEP AFRIKA!, is a native of Houston, Texas and is a graduate of Howard University, where he learned to step as a member of his fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha in 1989. After living in Africa, he began to research stepping, exploring the many sides of this exciting, yet under-recognized, American art form and eventually founded STEP AFRIKA! in 1994. Williams is the recipient of an Artist Fellowship, numerous awards from the Washington, DC Commission on Arts & Humanities, and is featured in Soulstepping, the first book to document the history of stepping, as well as several documentaries discussing the art form.
Based in Washington, DC, the company has been featured on CNN, BET, PBS & NPR as well as numerous books, documentaries and articles that seek to explore the tradition of stepping. STEP AFRIKA! serves as a cultural ambassador for the United States, representing the nation at events around the world through special invitations from American embassies.

Described as "one of the most exciting dance forms to evolve in the twentieth century," by historian Jacqui Malone, author of "Steppin' on the Blues," stepping is a unique dance tradition created by African American college students. In stepping, the body is used as an instrument to create intricate rhythms and sounds through a combination of footsteps, claps and spoken word. The tradition grew out of the song and dance rituals practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities in the early 1900s. Stepping comes from a long and rich tradition in African-based communities that use movement, words and sounds to communicate allegiance to a group.

STEP AFRIKA! is critically-acclaimed for promoting an understanding of and appreciation for stepping and the dance tradition's use as an educational tool for young people worldwide. Its signature event, the annual STEP AFRIKA! International Cultural Festival in Johannesburg, South Africa, is the fruit of ten-year collaboration with the Soweto Dance Theatre that unites artists from around the world in dialogue and dance performance. STEP AFRIKA! maintains a roster of artists who have experience with groups of all ages, as well as various cultures. Guest artists serve as performers, composers, and choreographers. "Impeccable timing rests at the center of all of Step Afrika's work. Whether a piece rides on comedic timing or the overlay of danced rhythms, the company melds it into a rhythmic machine." --The Washington Post

Ticket prices for the January 17, 2010, 7PM performance of STEP AFRIKA! at the Byham Theater are $20.50, $27.50 and $32.50; and may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square (655 Penn Avenue), online at www.pgharts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. To purchase 10 or more tickets at special discounted rates, please call (412) 471-6930.