Sankofa

This year, Sankofa studies abroad, learning first about the roots of step in South Africa before traveling to Brazil and India. Incorporating international rhythms, movements, and flavors into their choreography, Sankofa uses innovative routines to expand stepping as an art form and present a dynamic performance.

“Sankofa” comes from the Akan people in Ghana and loosely translates to “reaching back in order to move forward.” Sankofa choreographs original material that incorporates popular song, drums, hip-hop, break dance, spoken word, poetry, and sheer creative ingenuity. Stepping features precise, synchronized, and complex rhythmic body movements, combined with singing, chanting, and verbal play. Stepping is a uniquely African-American dance genre that was created on college campuses in the United States and has quickly become part of contemporary American culture because of its “animated style, spirit, social, and aesthetic organization.”