Stono

About the Show

With beating drums and shouts of “Liberty!,” the Stono Rebellion spurred the Negro Act, which prohibited, among numerous rights, enslaved Africans’ use of drums. But the fight for freedom is never silent. A story of resistance, resilience and reclamation, Stono fills the stage with music and dance to honor the artistry and activism borne out of the body as a percussive instrument. From traditions of the ring shout to contemporary stepping, Step Afrika! reveals the hidden histories and resounding rhythms that transformed America.

Step Afrika! returns to reveal the history of the rhythms that transformed America.

Did You Know?

1. Step Afrika!’s Drumfolk was on the New Victory stage in March 2020, when we closed our doors at the start of the pandemic. We are thrilled to welcome them back to finish what they started with Stono, which, like Drumfolk before it, honors the spirit of resistance and activism that remains critical to securing freedom and justice in America.
2. Stono takes its name from the Stono Rebellion, the largest insurrection of enslaved Africans in North America, which began in South Carolina on the banks of the Stono River in 1739.
3. Step Afrika! is featured in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture with the world’s first interactive stepping exhibit.

About the Company

Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the first professional dance company dedicated to the tradition of stepping. Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, traditional African dances and an array of contemporary dance forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Step Afrika! promotes stepping as an educational tool for young people, focusing on teamwork, academic achievement and cross-cultural understanding.

Creative Team