Press & Presenters



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mission

DancingStrong is an umbrella organization presenting original dance performance as well as community arts projects and educational programming. DancingStrong was foundered by Adesola Akinleye in 2001 with the aim of making performance and dance based projects that gives voice to people that do not normally consider themselves part of the mainstream dance audience. The company has worked with providing dance and performance for both older people and young children as well as presenting work in non-traditional theatres and making site specific work outside the theatre setting.


DancingStrong's professional performance company has presented work throughout UK, USA and Canada. The companies outreach and educational projects have provided arts based programming within communities in London UK, South East England, Winnipeg CA, rural Manitoba CA, Detriot USA, Flint USA, and New York USA.


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Biography

Adesola began her professional career in New York with The Dance Theatre of Harlem (USA), later working with Union Dance Company and Carol Straker Dance Company (UK). She studied choreography with mentor Bessie Schönberg. Adesola founded Saltare Foundation for the Arts, Community Dance Center in Long Island, New York for which she was awarded Woman of the Year 1999 for 'Distinguished achievement in the field of community dance' presented by the Town of Islip, New York. In 2001 she founded DancingStrong as an umbrella organization presenting original performance work and community based projects. Her choreographic work has been commissioned and performed across Europe, the Caribbean and North America. Adesola was awarded the Bonnie Bird New Choreography Award in 2006 and awarded a Trailblazers Fellowship by ADAD(UK). In 2016 she received One Dance UK’s Champion Trailblazer Award.


Adesola has a strong focus on site-specific work, new technology and use of light, as well as work for young audience. She has taught and created work in Universities in UK, Canada and USA as well as being artist-in-residence for art-in-education programmes such as Creative Partnerships (UK) and Learning Through The Arts (CA). She holds an MA, Middlesex University and a PhD from Canterbury Christ Church University. She is a Fellow of the RSA. Her work can be seen at www.dancingstrong.com


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Booking information contact info@dancingstrong.com

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quotes

“…wonderful dancing, the clever choreography, smart and witty, artful and artless, that made up this immaculately planned event…” Ann Arbor.com


”Talent-to-watch Adesola Akinleye’s multi-layered duet… played sober, complex games with reflection and shadow, light and darkness, reality and illusion…”

Donald Hutera


The children "were entranced throughout"

John Ashford


“loved the whole experience…”

audience member


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Adesola Akinleye Biography 155KB.
Adesola Akinleye CV 162KB.
Light Steps Tour Pack 5.8MB.
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press images

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Adesola Akinleye: photo credit
Paul White Download


Adesola Akinleye: photo credit Joe Culleton Download


Dancing Strong Logo Download


Adesola Akinleye: photo credit Lisa Gilby Download


Light Steps: photo credit Joe Culleton Download


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