Step dancing, or stepping, is a form of dance performed in many African-American fraternities and sororities. At 10 p.m. today in the IMU, Step Afrika, the first company dedicated to stepping, will perform.

“The company mixes South African dance styles with those of African-American frats and sororities, creating something entirely original and unique,” said Barrett Kinsella, the group’s marketing manager.

This style of dance has been around since the 1920s and gained popularity in the ’70s. Step Afrika exhibits and spreads the art to more than 50 cities in the United States each year.

Its shows fuse traditional step dance and with more contemporary takes on the art form.

This year, Step Afrika celebrates 20 years of performing around the world. It is in the midst of a 14-state tour and will visit 20 college this month alone.

“I started the company in 1994,” said C. Brian Williams, the company’s executive director. “We performed our first show in South Africa six months after Nelson Mandela was elected. We’ve performed at the White House, the Kennedy Center, gilded opera houses in Europe. But just as important are the small auditoriums in Iowa or Montana or performing for elementary-school kids while they eat their lunch.”

DANCE