AN OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFE TIME
In an exclusive interview with Step Afrika’s first Latino member Emanuel “Manny” Chacón, a brother of Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity Inc., inducted in the Fall of 2010, Manny reveals he always had a passion for the art of dance. Before he began to take hip-hop seriously, while in College, through his mentor J-Romeo, he began his artistic expression with Capoeira (a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music) in 2005.
Step
Afrika! Founded in 1994, is the first professional company dedicated to the art
of stepping. It
is a non-profit organization that began as an exchange program with the Soweto Dance Theatre
in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company’s dance style
is a fusion of South African gumboot dance and African American stepping, that
has traditional been displayed by historically black collegiate fraternal
organizations. C.
Brian Williams, founder of Step Afrika! is a graduate of Howard University and has
performed, lectured and taught in Europe, South & Central America, Africa,
the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean and throughout the United States. Williams
first learned to step as a member of his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity, Inc. Beta Chapter, in 1989. Over the past 21 years Step Afrika! has
grown to become one of the top 10 African American Dance Companies in the
United States and Washington DC’s largest African American arts
organization.
Before
joining Step Afrika! Emanuel attended the University of Delaware where he studied Marketing and
Interactive Media. Professionally, he was an Assistant Director of
Undergraduate Admissions at Cabrini University and now Manny is approaching is 1 year
anniversary with the company.
“Although
I had a good university job after graduation I always continued dancing and
training,” says Chicon.
“A
friend told me about auditions and I figured why not go and see what happens.
The worst that can happen is they say no. I prayed on it and said if it's meant
to be I'll make it. A few months later I received a phone call with an offer.”
Stepping
is known for its intricate, synchronized patterns of stomps, kicks, claps, and
call-and-response.
The company uses their body as instruments; blending percussive dance styles
and influences from a variety of other dance forms to heighten performances by including
integrate songs, storytelling, humor, audience participation, and the sharpest
choreography.
“The
company was very welcoming. The learning and training process in the beginning
was challenging, intense, and extremely tiring, but the older company members
were very supportive along the way. Being the only Latino in an African
American company may seem like a challenge to some but it has allowed me to
bridge the gap among similar cultures to a degree,” says Manny.
Step
Afrika! tours nationally and internationally. The Company uses stepping as an educational tool presenting residency
programs, workshops and a variety of arts education activities worldwide for grades K-12 and
college students in its home of Washington, DC. The dance company’s focus is on teamwork, academic achievement
and cross-cultural understanding. Step Afrika! reaches tens of thousands of
Americans each year through a 50-city tour of colleges and theatres and
performs globally as a cultural ambassador.
Most
recently the group wrapped up a college tour where they visited over 20 college
campuses including, Iowa State University, University of North Carolina and
Albany University.
“Although my personal dance
journey was much shorter than others, I was blessed with opportunities I never
imagined and experiences many have yet to experience themselves. I felt as if
things were happening for a reason. I rather go for it rather than think what
if.”
If
you have a passion for this art come out to D.C and audition on May 20th!
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