My approach to dance began with folkloric dances from Oaxaca, Mexico, and later continued during my BA in Contemporary Dance. Over the past years, I have directed my practice towards West African dance and various diasporic dances across Latin America. My decision to study the MA at Irie! came from the fact that it is the only programme that studies the diaspora through dance. It is not common to find a postgraduate degree with this perspective, and even less one that offers

The MA builds on the success of the BA (Hons) Diverse Dance Styles (established 2018), this Post Graduate provision offers dance artists the opportunity to expand their practice through independently focused research within a supportive virtual and residency-based learning environment.   Creative space appears to be longed for amidst the turbulence of everyday life/work, particularly for artists, who constantly must strive to keep their practice alive. Imagine then the pleasu

I began my dance education at IRIE! Dance Theatre on the BA Diverse Dance Styles, where I loved exploring the cultural history and context behind each style. I was drawn to learning African and Caribbean dance alongside contemporary and urban practices, developing a versatile movement language that continues to evolve. During my third-year research project, I started shaping a practice that felt meaningful and aligned with my interest in holistic healing, which led me to cont

I decided to take on the MA at IRIE! because I wanted to carve out the time to look at my own practice in a way that allows me to magnify its uniqueness. It has been a space where I can explore the creation of my own form while looking at other avenues in a broader educational context. Right now, I am building a new appreciation for tracing, embodying, translating, cultivating, and producing waves of unseen narratives from a single moment. By using tried and tested practices,

When I first started the MA in diasporic dance styles, I was immediately taken back to my past the 1980s in London when Hip Hop was emerging. I began reflecting not only on the culture, but on the political landscape that shaped it: the Brixton riots, the need for an outlet, and the government’s desire to keep communities quiet. Funding was poured into dance but not in my neck of the woods.  This led me to really scrutinise my own practice of building faith for healing throug

My name is Deny Ruge. I am a Colombian dancer, creator, and researcher currently based in London. As a third-year student in the BA (Hons) Diverse Dance Styles at IRIE! Dance theatre, I also direct the Somos Chibchas Arts dance company, which I founded in Madrid in 2010. My mission is to preserve Colombian heritage through dance, theatre, and other artistic expressions. My work focuses on memory, identity, and cultural resilience. Fundraising for “Las INNOMBRABLES” Today, I a

After gathering such a wealth of practical movement experience on the BA Diverse Dance Styles, with IRIE! dance theatre graduating in 2023. I took a year to let it sink in and do my own choreographic faith-based projects. However, later I began thinking about how to communicate effectively and with more authority on the themes I was presenting.     Namely,  building faith for healing through Christian urban and freestyle dance , which I present under the name Tonte Dance in a

This month we are celebrating our graduate Tianna Williams Powell, who gained a 1st for the BA (Hons) Diverse Dance styles degree in 2022. Joining the programme in the 2nd year from a musical theatre background, Tianna wanted to gain a broader cultural experience and strengthen her dance base with diverse styles. During her time at IRIE! she was part of Connectingvibes*, (performance company attached to the course,) later going on to become a trustee. You will see from her th

I am Shadi and a couple of weeks ago I received two very important pieces of information within two days of each other. The first was my degree grade; and the second was the confirmation that I was officially a dancer in a national touring company- IRIE! dance theatre. I was surprised when I achieved a 1st Class Honours degree. I knew that I had put in the hours and the sweat for the entire three years at IRIE! I also knew that through doing that I had found a true passion an

IRIE! dance theatre is pleased to announce that applications are now open for a new MA Diasporic Dance Styles validated by Goldsmiths, University of London. The course will start in September 2024. The MA Diasporic Dance Styles is a unique low residency programme of blended online and on-campus learning and is designed for practitioners working within a diverse range of dance styles and contexts. ​ The MA builds on the success of the BA (Hons) Diverse Dance Styles created in

My name is Naima, and I am 15 years old. My goal is to perform in musical theatre, however, as a young black woman, I am devastated by the complete lack of cultural influence in that sector. That's why IRIE! called out to me, and I am glad it did. When I first heard about IRIE!, I was intrigued, then, once I looked at their website and learnt more about them, I was invested. IRIE! was and still is the only dance company - even the only performing arts company, full stop - so

The way I came into contact with IRIE! Dance theatre was through my work experience placement, which was overwhelmingly positive. I count myself lucky to have been in such a warm environment which celebrates diversity and focuses on being accessible to all. Sadly these factors are often an afterthought for a lot of places, but at IRIE! diversity and accessibility are the focal point for all the work that they produce there. Different cultures are celebrated and appreciated in

My experience with transferring into the second year on the BA Hons course at IRIE! dance theatre was a very positive one. I felt welcomed into the group by the other dancers and my tutors and always felt included and appreciated throughout my training there. The community there felt sincerely caring from the start, they celebrate that every student is different and work in a more holistic way with their students which sets them apart from other dance schools and universities

I am so grateful for IRIE! dance theatre. The opportunity to join the third year has not only allowed me to expand my skill set and grow as a dancer but I truly feel I have discovered my identity as an artist. The sense of community is uplifting and incredibly encouraging and I have felt an overwhelming amount of support from my tutors and peers when being welcomed as a student who joined later in the course. The experiences that have been provided this year have given me an

IRIE! dance theatre are pleased to announce that following many months of negotiations, the BA(Hons) Diverse Dance Styles will now be validated by Goldsmiths, University of London from September 2023. The course is the first of its kind to present African, Caribbean, Contemporary and Hip-Hop Styles equally, with a mission to nurture the next generation of diverse dancers. At this point of change we would like to formally thank the Dance Department at the University of Roeham

In January 2023, IRIE! were delighted to welcome Sini from Finland to engage with a short 3- month stay with the company, she engaged with classes on the BA Course, including making a contribution to the Year 2 Site Specific Project, where she helped with the group direction and filmed her solo choreography as part of the performance. Sini also took part in volunteer activities for the ‘Pioneers and Places’ Project when the Company recreated Reggae ina Ya Jeggae’. From start

Arriving in the snow and freezing cold weather, Beverley and myself arrived in Toronto to share our story at ‘Connectively Moving Our Dance’ an innovative conference event organised by dance Immersion, a charitable non-profit organisation established by Vivine Scarlett in 1994 to produce, promote, and support dancers and dances of the African Diaspora. Supported by a fantastic team, Timea Wharton-Suri, Zahra Badua, Jillian Greyson, and Nicole Inica Hamilton the organisation e

Since 2018, IRIE! has delivered the BA (Hons) Diverse Dance Styles in collaboration with the University of Roehampton. Following changes to their overall Dance Programme, the University of Roehampton and IRIE! have agreed to end this validation arrangement. IRIE! has enjoyed a fantastic relationship with the Dance Department at Roehampton and would like to thank the team headed by Erica Stanton for their dedication and creative energy. ​ IRIE! is now working with Goldsmiths,

We at IRIE! dance theatre, are thrilled to announce that we are amongst the organisations successfully joining Arts Council England’s (ACE) National Portfolio Organisations (NPO) in 2023-26. We understand that the process was highly competitive, therefore we were even more excited by the prospect. In 2004, the company took what we believed would be a 3-5 years hiatus, while my colleague, Rosie Lehan and I undertook a research project entitled Dance and Diversity to investigat

IRIE! dance theatre based at the Moonshot Centre in New Cross, London Borough of Lewisham is celebrating today after being awarded £397,040 in funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK. IRIE! dance theatre will use the funding to develop its capacity to expand and sustain its thriving community and education programmes locally and at its base at the Moonshot centre. The project entitled Moonshot Community will provide