The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) will host its annual Yard Show tomorrow on the UCen lawn as part of the 2005 Black Culture Week celebration.

The free event will last from 12 to 2 p.m. with a live DJ. The Black Student Union will host a raffle with prizes, and the show will feature performances from the Black Reign and Skyline dance troupes. Third-year law & society and black studies major Karen Everett, NPHC president, said the show is meant to serve dual purposes.

“It’s not only a form of entertainment — it’s a time for us to educate the community about different aspects of black culture,” she said.

Everett, who is also a member of Zeta Phi Beta sorority, said the Yard Show drew about 200 people last year. She said the NPHC used to host the show in Storke Plaza, but as the number of people attending grew, the organization had to relocate the event to the UCen lawn.

The dance routines at the event are called “stepping,” where performers dance, clamp and stomp to create a beat.

“Stepping is a dance form that derives from African culture,” Everett said. “It began as a song and dance routine, and it evolved into a more acrobatic or rhythmic performance.”

Zakiyah Shepard, Black Reign dance team president, said the group performed at the Yard Show in previous years and drew a large crowd. She said last year’s celebration was fun and is one of the last performances for Black Reign this year.

“We’re going to do a hip hop dance — real funk — lots of flavor like we always do,” Shepard said.

Rounding out the 2005 Black Culture Week celebrations, the Delta Sigma Theta sorority will put on the “Red Hot” barbeque from 2 to 4 p.m. in the UCen courtyard today. The Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity will host a bowling event Saturday night at Zodo’s. On Sunday, Zeta Phi Beta is having a three-on-three basketball and dunking tournament Girsh Park in Goleta from 12 to 4 p.m. The winning three-person team will receive a $350 cash prize, while the dunking champion will be awarded a $50 prize.