Step Afrika! returns to Clarke Feb. 12

The Edward J. and Cathy Gallagher Arts at Clarke Series is thrilled to welcome Step Afrika! back to campus on Monday, February 12. Step Afrika! will perform at 7:30 p.m. in Jansen Music Hall on the campus of Clarke University.

General admission tickets are $5 and can be purchased online at www.clarke.edu/artsatclarke/stepafrika. For ticket information, call (563) 588-6575.

Step Afrika! is the first professional dance Company in the world dedicated to the tradition of stepping. The Company began in 1994 as an exchange program with the Soweto Dance Theatre of Johannesburg, South Africa and has expanded to become an international touring Company presenting worldwide performances, residencies, and workshops.

Step Afrika! has grown to become one of the top 10 African American Dance Companies in the United States and the largest African American led arts organization in Washington, DC. The Company annually performs in ten countries for more than 50,000 people and reaches 23,000 youth through its arts education programs. In addition, they perform at more than 50 colleges and universities throughout the United States each year.

In stepping, the body is used as an instrument to create intricate rhythms and sounds through a combination of footsteps, claps, and the spoken word. Stepping is based on a long and rich tradition in African-based communities that use movement, words, and sounds to communicate allegiance to a group.

“We are so excited to have Step Afrika! back at Clarke University. They gave an amazing show in 2015 and the audience absolutely loved them. The Company is extremely talented, full of energy, and so dynamic and personable. We look forward to welcoming them back to Dubuque in February,” said Megan Stull, Arts at Clarke committee member.

For more information, contact the Clarke University Visual and Performing Arts Department at (563) 588-6575.