Step Afrika! Community Panel

Allison Ward is a passionate advocate for making the arts accessible to all. She grew up on a dairy farm in rural Wisconsin and has spent five years at Overture Center for the Arts working in various roles that focus on access, education, and community engagement. “As a lifelong musical theatre lover, my mission is to ensure that everyone—especially those who haven’t traditionally had access to the arts—can see themselves represented and find a place in the creative world.”

Allison holds a degree in Arts Management and Communications (Public Relations) from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, along with a master’s in Servant Leadership from Viterbo University. She has always believed that leadership in the arts should be grounded in service to others, be inclusive, accessible and make people feel like they belong. When she’s not working to create more inclusive spaces in the arts, she is a proud twin mama, wife, sister, and daughter. Whether it’s on the farm or in a theatre seat, musical theatre has always been at the heart of who she is—and she’s lucky enough to share that love with her family, too!

Akpan has trained extensively in tap, ballet, jazz, modern, African dance and step. While attending the State University of New York at Stony Brook, she majored in biochemistry and cultivated her stepping skills as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Akpan began her training at the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, the Apollo Theater, the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Lincoln Center. Akpan toured with the off-Broadway show “Hoofin' 2 Hittin,” where she was a featured stepper and dancer.  

Sherman is a passionate choreographer, ethnochoreologist and performer whose experience extends over 20 years. Rooted in the African American tradition of stepping, his work pushes the boundaries of percussive dance using technology, storytelling and diverse musical scores. Sherman served as Step Afrika!’s Artistic Director for seven years. He directed Drumfolk, Green is the New Black and Symphony in Step among others. Sherman received an M.A. in ethnochoreology from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and is undertaking groundbreaking ethnographic work related to structural analysis, teaching methodologies and historical archiving of stepping in the United States. Sherman has lectured on stepping throughout the world, including Greece, Kazakhstan, the United Kingdom and Belgium.

Anna Gonzalez works as a community engagement coordinator for the Division of Organizational Impact & Culture at Madison College and teaches part-time in the Communications & Performing Arts Department. She currently serves as chair of Overture Center's Community Advisory Council and serves on the board of ArtHouse360 in Verona.