Criticism and analysis of choreographic work by Black choreographers, particularly explorations of their artistry and praxis, remains underrepresented in academic literature. This gap exists largely because their work is often valued primarily for representing Black people in the UK and for its activism, downplaying the artistic vision and aesthetic choices of the artists themselves. Adewole Elliott argues that artistic perspectives offers additional insights into the sociocultural and political relevance of theatre and choreography that draw on African, Caribbean, and other dance forms from the African Diaspora, rather than distracting from this understanding. The lecture examines several dance companies, some now closed, others still active, including Adzido Pan-African Dance Ensemble, Badejo Arts, Union Dance, Uchenna Dance, Vocab Dance, and Far From the Norm.


Biography:
‘Funmi Adewole Elliott is a performer and independent scholar. Her research interests include practitioner-research, Dance as a profession and African Cultural Production. Solo performance is central to her work as an arts practitioner. In August 2025 she presented The View, an African Contemporary dance improvisation at Dance Immersion’s Legacy Summit in Canada, and in November 2025, a storytelling theatre piece called, In a city, near a forest, at Lagos Fringe in Nigeria. ‘Funmi speaks on dance and performance internationally. She holds an MA in Postcolonial Studies and a PhD in Dance Studies.
www.funmiadewoleelliott.com
@fae_studios_insta