A World of Dance: DSQ’s Diversity & Inclusion Festival 2025 | Brooks Academy of Irish Dancing

On Wednesday 23 July, London’s Devonshire Square, in partnership with Aldgate Connect BID and EQUINIX, celebrated talented dancers from the LGBTQIA+ community and artists from diverse cultural backgrounds to this joyful celebration of sheer talent, multiculturalism, inclusivity, and community spirit!
Curated and organised by DSQ Community and Events Management, this special event marked the 10th anniversary of DSQ’s multicultural events programme, which is dedicated to supporting social and environmental causes through the transformative power of the arts and sport. To honour this milestone, this year’s edition has been envisioned as a captivating imaginary journey around the globe, showcasing dance as a powerful manifestation of cultural identity, self-expression, and inspirational talent.
The evening’s journey began with the multicultural heart of the performing arts – with an exhilarating performance by an outstanding team of dancers brought together through a creative collaboration between the acclaimed dance companies JLee Productions and Project Dance.
With original choreography by Jenna Lee and James Bamford, their dynamic performances will take the audience on a whirlwind tour of global dance and mu-sic, celebrating multiculturalism and queer pride. Set to an explosive soundtrack of iconic Pride anthems and contemporary hits by artists like Charli XCX, Chappell Roan, and ABBA, their show ignited the stage.
The artistic tour continued across the UK with a stunning Riverdance performance by dancers from the multi-award-winning Brooks Academy of Irish Dance. The academy presented a stellar team of performers, including the UK’s only current All Ireland Champions, Rafferty Brooks Stevens and Eva Jane Moss, and featured a special appearance by former Irish Dance World Champion, Se O’ Toole.
The UK journey culminates in a stirring showcase of traditional Scottish Highland Dance by The Wonderful Highlanders, a troupe of highly accomplished professional dancers in full Scottish regalia. These skillful artists dazzled the audience with a carousel of elegant and vibrant routines, bringing the heritage and cultural vitality of Scotland to the heart of Devonshire Square, London.
The celebration continued with a powerful performance by the award-winning Pan-African dance group, Adanta, who took the audience on a mesmerizing journey through the rhythms and traditions of sub-Saharan Africa. Their programme includes the Yamama dance from Guinea, the courtship-themed Kpanlogo dance from Ghana, and the vibrant Atilogwu dance from Nigeria’s Igboland, traditionally performed to mark coming of age. A dynamic acrobatic routine rounded off their high-energy performance. The Adanta Dancers have performed at prestigious inter-national cultural events and were honoured to perform for Prince William during the African Culture in the UK celebrations.
The global voyage concluded with a spectacular contemporary Indian dance show by the Bolly-Bhangra queen, Chittal Shah, founder of the award-winning Dance n’ Beat Indian Dance School. Audiences were dazzled to non-stop explosion of rhythm and movement, set to today’s hottest Bollywood hits.
In addition to the cultural entertainment, guests were treated to complimentary welcome drinks – both alcoholic and soft – and a tasting experience of delicious bites served by Devonshire Square’s iconic restaurants and bars, available on a first-come-first-served basis.