Ammon News - AMMONNEWS – The U.S. Embassy in Jordan is proud to bring the Step Afrika Dance Company to Jordan May 8 - 14. While here the company will hold workshops in Ghour Al Safi and Aqaba and hold public performances at the Zakhareef Dance Festival, as well as Aqaba and Ajloun.

Step Afrika is the first professional company in the world dedicated to the tradition of stepping. Established in 1994, the company promotes an appreciation for stepping and dance to young people worldwide. It has performed on many stages in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.

Stepping is a unique dance created by African American college students that uses the body as an instrument to intricate rhythms and sounds through a combination of footsteps, claps, and words. The tradition grew out of ritual dances by African American fraternities and sororities in the early 1900s.

The annual Zakharef in Motion Festival is being held in collaboration with diplomatic embassies, cultural institutions, the Jordanian government; and the private sector.

The public performances for Step Afrika and dates are:

Friday, May 10 Aqaba Revolution Yard 7.30 p.m.
Sunday, May 12 Amman Al-Hussein Cultural Center 7.30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 14 Ajloun Hashemite Hall 6 p.m.

For more on Step Afrika please visit www.stepafrika.org.

For more information on this and other U.S. Embassy programs, please visit us:
• Facebook page: www.facebook.com/jordan.usembassy
• Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/usembassyjordan
• Website: http://jordan.usembassy.gov