They took away their drums, but they couldn’t stop the beat.
Telling the story of the 1739 Stono Rebellion in South Carolina, Drumfolk explores how this powerful example of Black resistance – and the subsequent backlash from the government, including banishing African drums – forever changed African American life and culture. Without their traditional instruments, African slaves in the southern colonies began to use their bodies as drums – Drumfolk – and the root of contemporary dances like ring shout, tap and stepping was born. Step Afrika! Drumfolk fuses storytelling, theatre, humour, audience participation, and – above all else – powerfully rhythmic dance to celebrate and teach the resilience of Black culture. Join Arts Commons Presents and the BD&P World Stage series to hear the echo of history in some of the most popular, captivating dance forms of today.
Are you a teacher? Click here to learn more about the student show from Step Afrika!.