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Catalogue Blog

The Time is Now

In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other.

That time is now.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has challenged the world to broaden the understanding of peace: there can be no peace without equitable development; and there can be no development without sustainable management of the environment in a democratic and peaceful space. This shift is an idea whose time has come.

- Human rights advocate and environmental conservationist, Wangari Maathai, born today in 1940. In 2004, Maathai was awarded the Noble Peace Prize “for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.”

Stepping Into the Holidays

by Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

What better way to celebrate the holiday season than with a step show? This month, Step Afrika! is ringing in the season with its Magical Musical Holiday Step Show. Last weekend, Catalogue’s Sherika Brooks and I stopped by the Atlas Performing Arts Center to check out the show and volunteer as ushers for the performance.

The Magical Musical Holiday Step Show demonstrated all that is good about Step Afrika!, and how traditional rhythms and moves can be translated into any type of dance celebration. While the holiday show is light, fun and family-friendly, the history of Step Afrika! and its work tells a very rich story.

Step Afrika! is the first professional company in the world dedicated to stepping. For almost 20 years, the company’s performances have celebrated the connection between the type of stepping common in college fraternities in the US and the gumboot dance, created by South African mineworkers. Step Afrika! brings its dance tradition to communities across the US through an annual college and theater tour, as well as performing across the world.

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