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Penn State College of Arts and Architecture
Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State

Event Slides Per Node 1415

  • A group of Black dancers wearing loose clothing step dance in unison on a stage.
  • Black dance artists cluster together and clap their hands and sing.
  • An artist uses a stick to propel himself into a dance flip while a small group of dancers watch.
  • Five Black dancers wearing loose clothing pose in unison with both arms outstretched. Paintings are projected behind them.

Step Afrika!
The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence

7:30 pm Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Eisenhower Auditorium

“To me, migration means movement. There was a conflict and struggle, but out of the struggle came a kind of power and even beauty,” says Jacob Lawrence of the inspiration to his collection of paintings in The Migration Series.

Inspired by the artist’s iconic sixty-panel series, Step Afrika!’s production of The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence tells the story of the 1900s-era migration of African-Americans from the rural South to the industrialized North in order to escape racial oppression and to find prosperity.

Pairing the bold colors and motifs of Lawrence’s paintings with the Company’s hallmark style of dance theatre, the members of Step Afrika! will bring the story of an all-American mass movement to the stage.

The Center for the Performing Arts previously hosted Step Afrika! with its performance of Drumfolk in 2020.
 

Post-performance discussion

The November 13 performance will be followed by a conversation with members of the company.
 

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Adult $48
University Park Student $10
18 and Younger $15

Support provided by
Debra Lee Latta and Dr. Stanley E. Latta Endowment
Mary Ann O'Brien Malkin Program Endowment
Penn State International Dance Ensemble Endowment

Accessibility services supported by
William E. McTurk Endowment for Program Support

A grant from the University Park Fee Board makes Penn State student prices possible.

Artist Websites: 

Step Afrika!

Secondary Events on Each Event

The Joyfull
Step Afrika! Edition

6:00 pm Sunday, November 10, 2024

Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center

FREE - Registration required

Register

The Center for the Performing Arts and Student Affairs invite you to replenish.

Food is much more than what sits on our plates. Food intersects with nearly every aspect of our lives—from the communities and cultures we come from to issues of climate, food security, and our personal relationships with food.

Just like food, art comes from many forms, cultural backgrounds, and histories. At each Joyfull, we welcome all to come and enjoy a meal, live performance, and conversation.

When our bodies are hungry, we need to eat. But when our souls are hungry, we crave a different kind of nourishment. Join us for evenings of joyful expression, where we forge connections and leave with full bellies and full hearts. Feed your soul; savor the culture.

The Joyfull will feature performances by Penn State ensembles Afrique Fusion and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., as well as artists from Step Afrika!

Entertainment will be provided by DJ Temi.

Free sustainable utensil sets will be given to first-time attendees while supplies last. Help us reduce waste by bringing them with you to use at each Joyfull.

Support for The Joyfull events provided by
Dick Brown and Sandy Zaremba
Penn State Equal Opportunity Planning Committee in The Office for the Vice Provost for Educational Equity

Stepping Workshop

6:00 pm Monday, November 11, 2024

Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Center

FREE - Registration is required

Register

Artists of Step Afrika! will lead a workshop focusing on the artform of stepping. All ages are welcome, and no experience is required. Just come ready to move, and wear your sneakers! 

Step Afrika! @ The Palmer

6:00 pm Thursday, November 14, 2024

Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Lobby and Event Space, Palmer Museum of Art

FREE - Registration is required

Registration is closed for this event.

 

The Center for the Performing Arts, in partnership with the Palmer Museum of Art, hosts Step Afrika! for an interactive, engaging program.

Hear from the group’s leadership about connecting the artform of stepping to the work of renowned visual artist Jacob Lawrence, and enjoy a brief demonstration by dancers in the company.

After the program, you are welcome to participate in an interactive gallery experience, viewing work by Lawrence and sharing ideas and personal reflections related to stories of migration. A pre-event reception hosted by the Center for the Performing Arts’ Student Advisory Council and the Palmer Museum of Art’s Student Ambassadors will begin at 5:30 p.m.