Sankofa Step Team

Sankofa is Williams College’s step team founded by two female students in 1996. The now co-ed team performs stepping, a percussive dance form created by black fraternities in the mid-1900s that is influenced by military drill, South African gumboot, West African dance, and hip-hop. The word Sankofa comes from the Akan language of Ghana; in English it means “stepping forward while looking back.” Sankofa uses this concept to reach back and stay true to its roots in order to step forward, reflecting the organization’s mentality. The highly dynamic team has been known to incorporate everything from pop music and spoken word to breakdance and gymnastics in its choreography in order to create loud, high energy, and incredibly astounding performances.