Get ready to step up, yo, because the greatest show on earth is coming to town and I'm not talking about the circus -- it's called Step Afrika! and the members do not mess around.
Step Afrika! will be performing tonight, at 7 p.m., in Keller Hall.
According to the Web site at www.stepafrika.com, "[Step Afrika] reaches tens of thousands of Americans each year and [step dancing] is a dance genre considered by some to be one of the most exciting created by Americans in the 21st century."
Step Afrika! presents step, a style of dance that is the product of South African "Gumboots" dance. Step is traditionally a rhythmic expression from African mineworkers in a modern form. What is now known as step dance evolved from this African form by melding with other genres like blues and soft-shoe tap.
UNM's Molodi member Juan Carlos Bagnell said in a previous interview with the Daily Lobo that this new fusion was then adopted by Baptist churches as a form of worship, and utilized by black fraternities to create community and a sense of culture.
Step Afrika USA was founded in 1996, with the talents of black students in sororities and fraternities. This ensemble is made up of professional dancers and actors who have much experience on stage and screen.
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The troupe performing in Albuquerque includes one of UNM's very own Åber-talented Jason Nious, also known as "Jayro" to his friends and family whose contributions to the UNM community have been numerous, including his work with Omniroots productions.
"He was the energy and focus of the group [Rhythm Cartel and Molodi]" Kenny Doss, a current Rhythm Cartel member, said. "He told us to put our own characters into it."
Step Afrika! and other groups like it around the world incorporate precise foot movements with intricate hand clapping rhythms by slapping their arms and legs. This creates beats and patterns that accompany their movement.
Without extensive props and lighting, and typically with no music other than what they create, dance troupes like Step Afrika! and Molodi create something from nothing.
Not only is step very physically demanding, it requires ninja-like skills and the imagination of a magician. Performers use their incredible stage presence to actively engage the audience in their show -- you cannot watch them like you're watching TV.
"The performers, equally adept at complex stepping, dancing and, most vital, acting drove the crowd to hoops and hollers," Lisa Traiger said in the Washington Post.
Step Afrika!'s roots in the "Gumboots" dance tradition prompted the organization to create the Step Afrika International Cultural Festival that is the "first known attempt to link stepping and Gumboot dance," according to its Web site. The Soweto Dance Theatre, which plays host to the festival, invites an eclectic and diverse collection of artists and kids from around the world to participate in the events held in Johannesburg, South Africa, every December.
This has enabled the troupe the opportunity to establish community outreach programs. During the festival period they include local kids in full days of activity, working alongside the visiting artists and dancers.
Touring as Step Afrika USA also creates an opportunity for various communities of young people to experience this rich gathering of artistic talent.
Admission to tonight's performance, sponsored by Student Special Events, is free to UNM students and high school students with ID and $7 for general admission. Free tickets still need to be picked up at the UNM ticket office.
