Washington, D.C. - The District's largest African American arts organization will bring its third annual Step Xplosion tour to the Pepco Edison Place Gallery for a free performance at noon Thursday.

The 60-minute performance by Step Afrika! is open to the public and is part of a series of shows bringing the uniquely American dance tradition of stepping to all eight wards of the District of Columbia. The Edison Place Gallery is located at 702 Eighth St., NW, between G and H streets, directly behind the entrance to the Pepco headquarters.

"Pepco is proud to host a stop on the 2015 Step Xplosion tour," said Debbi Jarvis, vice president, corporate citizenship and social responsibility. "The Step Afrika! dance company represents a valuable thread in the city's cultural fabric and we are proud to support an activity that has such a positive impact on the community."

During the past 20 years, Step Afrika! has become one of the top-10 African American dance companies in the United States and Washington, D.C.'s largest African American arts organization.

The group began as an exchange program with the Soweto Dance Theatre of Johannesburg, South Africa, and has expanded to become a national and international touring company presenting performances, residencies and workshops worldwide.

For more than a decade, the Pepco Edison Place Gallery has been committed to working with nonprofit arts organizations to sponsor a series of diverse, high-quality, art exhibits on behalf of the community we serve. The gallery is free and open to the public noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.