Afrika Dance Troupe Steps it Up at Auditorium

By Flo Mano with Wes Hessel

Step Afrika’s stirring show October 19th at the Auditorium Theatre was the Chicago premiere for a wonderful presentation of the “Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence”. The multi-part work is a meditation on the movement of African-Americans after the Civil War and beyond from the South in search of better lives, portrayed in different dance stories. It was backdropped with a colorful melange based on Lawrence’s 1940-41 art series which inspired the movement collection.

First in the opening half was a sharp piece called “Drum Call” with the first of the percussive-oriented offerings Step Afrika is known for, then “Go West: circa 1890”, vividly demonstrating the West African dance and music carried over to the New World with the taken slaves. Following was “Drumfolk”, chronicling the early beat traditions that are the base for many, if not most, African-American dance forms, with elements such as patting juba, ring shout, and hambone, which gave way to stepping and tap, amongst others. The first half closed with “Wade Suite”, a two-part piece connecting the spiritual with the dance styles tap, step, and South African Gumboot.

The second half began with a three-piece “Trane Suite”, the title referencing the railroads as a major avenue of travel in migration, as well as to the great John Coltrane, with the music based in variations in Duke Ellington’s “Take the A Train”. The final dance was simply titled “Chicago”, focusing on the mass exodus from Dixie to the Windy City, taking rhythms from everyday things, showing how beat in voice and percussion permeated the lives of those transforming themselves to higher levels of life. Each and all of the works were catchy and involved the audience in celebration and clap-along type participation. For future work by Step Afrika!, please see www.stepafrika.org, and for more programs of dance and other great entertainment, visit www.auditoriumtheatre.org.

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