Step Afrika! Returns to Arena Stage with Holiday Tradition

Step into the season with a burst of energy, rhythm, and joy as Step Afrika!’s Magical Musical Holiday Step Show returns to Arena Stage’s Fichandler Stage this December. From December 5–21, 2025, the internationally acclaimed company brings its beloved holiday tradition back to Washington, DC for a fourth festive run, transforming Arena’s in-the-round space into a vibrant celebration of movement, music, and community.

Step Afrika's! Magical Musical Holiday Step Show at Arena Stage

Blending the African American art form of stepping with classic holiday spirit, the production offers a 90-minute, no-intermission experience that’s built for families, friend groups, and anyone looking to trade winter chill for high-octane warmth. Audiences are welcomed into Step Afrika!’s world by DJ Nutcracker and his Arctic crew, who guide the evening with irresistible beats, interactive moments, and playful charm. Surrounding them, Step Afrika!’s powerhouse ensemble uses their bodies as instruments—clapping, stomping, and chanting in complex rhythms—to create a soundscape that feels both timeless and electric, honoring a uniquely American tradition while inviting everyone in the room to be part of it.

This year’s Holiday Step Show comes with an extra treat: the debut of “Candy Cane Lane,” a brand-new piece that imagines a world where towering candy canes tap, twirl, and spring to life in syncopated joy. It joins a lineup of returning audience favorites that fans have come to love, including a drum-tight March of the Nutcrackers, DJ Nutcracker’s signature Nutcracker Slide, and a spirited step battle between The Elves and The Fairies that has become a highlight for younger theatergoers and the young at heart. These recurring traditions, refreshed with Step Afrika!’s signature precision and showmanship, help make the production feel like a must-do annual outing for DC families.

The Fichandler Stage—Arena’s iconic in-the-round theater—adds to the immersive magic. With audiences surrounding the performers on all sides, every stomp, shout, and sweeping gesture lands up close, drawing viewers into the story rather than keeping them at a distance. It’s an ideal home for a show that thrives on connection, call-and-response, and shared celebration. After three previous sold-out engagements, this expanded fourth-year run underscores how firmly Step Afrika!’s Holiday Step Show has claimed its place as one of DC’s favorite seasonal traditions.

In addition to its onstage spectacle, the production reflects the impact and legacy of Step Afrika! itself. Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, the company is widely recognized as the world’s leading authority on stepping, touring nationally and internationally, serving as a U.S. Cultural Ambassador, and building acclaimed works that explore history, identity, and community through rhythm and movement. Their holiday show channels that same artistic excellence into an experience that is accessible, joyful, and deeply rooted in culture, offering DC audiences both dazzling entertainment and a meaningful celebration of tradition.

For families planning a night out, Arena Stage is offering a limited number of Family Four Packs—four tickets for $179—available by phone while supplies last, making it easier to turn the show into a shared holiday ritual. With strong demand in past seasons and a history of sold-out performances, early booking is strongly encouraged for this limited engagement.

Step Afrika!’s Magical Musical Holiday Step Show is more than a performance; it is a communal celebration where movement, music, and storytelling invite audiences to clap along, cheer loudly, and head back into the winter night carrying a little more light. DC theatergoers looking to add some high-energy sparkle to their December calendar will find a can’t-miss experience on the Fichandler Stage this season.

To see a list of all the holiday shows in the DC area, visit our Holiday Plays in DC page.