I had heard (and seen photographs) that the musical component of the program, especially the violins, was superb. But, the production was almost entirely dance, with a very small element of percussion instrumentation. I felt a little shortchanged in that respect. I was really looking forward to more percussion and, of course, the fiddlin'... BUT, that being said, the small ensemble of two young women and four young men put on a performance that was TOTALLY AWESOME!!! Perhaps that's a bit cliche. But, I'm struggling to come up with the words to express how impressed I was with these performers. First off, the dance sequences were incredible. With the exception of the wonderful South African tribal dances with the aforementioned percussion accompaniment (skillfully played drums and a dancer's whistle), all of the step dancing was done with the self pacing dialog of the dancers as the only means to setting the perfectly timed rhythm that would make any veteran choreographer or drill leader marvel. The high energy movements charged the entire auditoreum and the connection with the audience was palpable. Everyone got into the rhythmic clapping to urge the dancers along. Yet, the dancing, itself, was only part of the appeal of the performance. These six young people were extraordinary in every way. Sure, they're incredible dancers. But, the charisma, the confidence, the PRIDE exhibited throughout the performance was indelible. I'm a 57-year old white hispanic professional who managed to feel drawn to these young African American performers. I was totally captivated by their entire performance. When it ended, I felt as if it had flown by. And, yet, I felt privileged to have been able to catch this "mini" version of Step Afrika as it tours our country...