Footworks returns to Hamilton College with StepAfrika! in a special collaboration called SoleMates on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m. in Wellin Hall.
Celebrating a shared American heritage, each company represents a different range of traditional percussive dance art while presenting innovative original choreography. From Southern Appalachian clogging to the stepping tradition of African-American fraternities and sororities, SoleMates explores the similarities and differences of these black and white music and dance forms and illuminates how these traditions have influenced each other.
The performance will include percussive dance, Appalachian clogging and step dance performed by members of both companies as well as live bluegrass music and African drumming. Throughout the evening, the audience will be lead on a journey the begins with traditional African and Irish dance and travels to America to tell the story of Appalachian percussive dance traditions and African-American fraternity and sorority step dance culture. This unique performance demonstrates that dance is a common language that transcends boundaries of class, race, and background and music is a soulful expression of our collective cultural experience.
Since 1979, Footworks has enjoyed bringing their unique performances of traditional and innovative music and dance to theaters and festivals at home and abroad. In the last 4 years, the company has performed in 35 states, 3 Canadian provinces, Finland, and their 11th tour of the U.K. The troupe represented American culture internationally as part of the Smithsonian's living exhibit to Japan in 1994, and as guest artists in the London production of Riverdance in 1996.
The ensemble is renowned for their work in arts-in-education, performing residencies, workshops, and programs for schools locally, nationally, and in the U.K. and Canada. Each member of the company is dedicated to teaching children and adults. Footworks has recently created a youth ensemble of the company's students. The Junior Company performs at community events in the greater Washington, D.C. area.
Step Afrika! is a powerful collaborative project between young artists from the United States, Europe and the South Africa-based Soweto Dance Theater. A by-product of annual sojourns to the Step Afrika! International Cultural Festival in Soweto, South Africa, the project highlights the African-American fraternity and sorority art form of stepping and its links to dance traditions around the world.
Founded in December 1994, Step Afrika! USA is the American arm of the groundbreaking festival. An arts organization that houses an explosive percussive dance ensemble, the company reaches tens of thousands of Americans each year and has performed on many stages in North America, Europe and South Africa. Reviewers describe Step Afrika!'s performance as a "high energy brand of precision stepping"—a dance genre considered by some to be one of the most exciting created by Americans in the 21st century---and its performers "an enormously powerful ensemble of dancers.
This event is co-sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Hamilton College and the Hamilton College Department of Music.
Tickets for SoleMates are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for students. All seating is general admission. For more information or to order tickets, call the box office at 859-4331 and leave a message.
