by Marcella Ortega
Daily Lobo
Combine spoken word, hand clapping and hard stepping, and you get Step Afrika.
Stepping is a dance tradition created by African-American college students. The tradition grew out of rituals practiced by fraternities and sororities in the early 1900s.
The first professional company dedicated to stepping, Step Afrika, will perform Thursday at UNM as the finale of its annual 50-city tour of colleges and universities in America.
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Today, students from elementary to college level as well as church- and community-based organizations practice stepping. The art form continues to rise as Latino and Asian-American Greek organizations have joined in the tradition.
Brian Williams, founder and director of Step Afrika, said the tradition is a medium for different organizations to express themselves.
"I think that stepping is an art form that at its roots was created in order to spread love and pride in a particular organization," he said.
UNM alumnus Jason Nious has been involved with Step Afrika for four years and will be among the performers in the event.
"Stepping is growing and continues to grow as a major dance form just like ballet and hip-hop," Nious said. "We try to raise the awareness to legitimize it as an African-American art form."
Nious' first experience with stepping was as a high school sophomore when he saw a performance on television.
"I was like, that's hot," he said. "I taped it, and I watched it like 100 times. I loved it."
In addition to worldwide performances, Step Afrika is a teaching program that incorporates universal lessons in teamwork, discipline and commitment.
"We're promoting continued education," Nious said. "Were trying to open up their minds and let them know there are tons of options. College is a perfect place to start exploring those opportunities."
Nious moved to New Mexico when his mother was stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base. He attended Albuquerque High School and graduated from UNM in 2001.
"That was the longest time I ever spent in one place," he said.
Nious joined the Albuquerque High School step team, but it disbanded. The next year Nious started a new team called Chaos.
At UNM, Nious formed another step team called Rhythm Cartel. The team is still active and will open for Step Afrika on Thursday. Senior Jamilah Gamougoun is president of the dance team and worked with Nious while he attended UNM.
"We really want to show him that his legacy and all the work he did while he was here still lives on," Gamougoun said.
Nious said he's been working hard, but he looks forward to coming home.
"For me, it's building up to this last homecoming show," he said. "I'm expecting to have a good time."
For more information on Step Afrika, visit www.stepafrika.org.
