Enjoy the Company’s self-titled work Step Afrika!. This show introduces audiences to stepping through both a traditional and contemporary lens.
Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities; traditional African dances; and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows; they integrate songs, storytelling, humor, and audience participation. The blend of technique, agility, and pure energy makes each performance unique and leaves the audience with their hearts pounding.
Pre-performance Lecture
6:30PM | The Feik Family Rotunda
With Tanesha Payne and Rhea Patterson
Join us for an engaging pre‑performance lecture that offers insight into the vibrant artistry and cultural significance of Step Afrika!, the world’s leading authority on the art form of stepping. This talk will introduce audiences to the history and evolution of stepping, its roots in African and African American traditions, and the powerful ways rhythm, movement, and storytelling intersect in the company’s work. Get ready to move. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the themes, techniques, and communal spirit that drive Step Afrika!’s dynamic performances—enriching the experience of the performance to follow.
Tanesha Payne (she/they) is a movement artist, teaching artist, and creative justice facilitator based in San Antonio, Texas, with over 20 years of professional experience. Working primarily through contemporary dance she uses improvisation-based exploration to shape her performance and community-engaged work, Payne’s practice centers embodiment and connection. Her work is deeply process-oriented and responsive, blending the roles of artist, educator, facilitator, and leader to support collective learning and care.
Payne is the Founder and Artistic Director of sumRset Movement, a professional contemporary dance company dedicated to increasing the visibility, accessibility, and appreciation of dance through performance, education, and community engagement. She is a Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion Practitioner and a former Mellon’s Democratizing Racial Justice Artist-in-Residence, experiences that continue to shape her creative justice–centered facilitation and systems-based approach to leadership.
Currently, Payne is a member of the Artist Leadership Fellowship cohort, is preparing the sumRset Movement’s Unbound encounter with dance (March 2026), and is curating Moved by Heritage: Dance Cultures of San Antonio’s Global Community, a dance exhibit for the World Heritage Center. She holds a BFA in Dance Studies from Texas State University and an MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University.
Rhea Patterson (BFA, MA, NCPT) is a former professional dancer now based in San Antonio, Texas. She owns and operates Pilates With Rhea as a dedicated movement specialist in Castle Hills. As a board member of sumRset Movement, a professional contemporary dance company, Rhea contributes to the expansion of movement education and meaningful community engagement through the arts. Her extensive career in contemporary dance includes performance experience in New York City and beyond with renowned companies such as Urban Bush Women, Hope Boykin Dance, Inspirit Dance Company, Bermuda Dance Company, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and Nathan Trice, Rituals.
Following her impactful contemporary dance career, Rhea transitioned to Broadway, where she performed for over a decade in acclaimed Broadway shows such as "Wicked", "Guys and Dolls", "Sweet Charity", and the original cast of "Aladdin". This background in both modern dance and musical theater highlights her versatility and profound love for various dance forms.
Rhea is thrilled to participate in this pre-performance discussion and eager to explore the vibrant artistry and cultural significance of StepAfrika!. She looks forward to discussing the history and evolution of stepping, its roots in African and African American traditions, and the powerful intersection of rhythm, movement, and storytelling.
