Leap of Dance Academy

Leap of Dance Academy is a ballet school in Lagos, Nigeria, founded by Daniel Ajala Owoseni in 2017. The academy provides free ballet training to children who are passionate about dance but lack access to formal training. Despite having limited resources and no dedicated studio space initially, the academy gained international attention in 2020 when a video of one of its students, Anthony Madu, dancing barefoot in the rain went viral.

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The academy focuses on classical ballet training and aims to challenge the notion that ballet is not for Africans. Through its work, Leap of Dance Academy has opened doors for young Nigerian dancers, connecting them with global opportunities, scholarships, and professional training.

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Wherever we find ourselves, we dance like that's the biggest stage.

“People say that you can never do ballet the way it is done abroad because ballet is not an African dance, but for me, it’s about making the art form our own,” says Owoseni, moments before teaching his next class.
Your support helps Leap of Dance Academy provide training, resources, and opportunities for young dancers to pursue their dreams. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference.

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About

2009

Our Humble Beginnings

Daniel Ajala started dancing while in University where his passion for dance grew as he started to research and self train. After graduating university Ajala stayed in his home town to pursue teaching the local kids in his area regardless of cultural expectations to pursue a traditional career. “Dance is the thing that gives me the greatest joy, and it is my greatest pursuit in life, ballet is the core of my whole entire being”
9 September 2017

An Academy is Born

Daniel opened the Leap Of Dance Academy, with the goal of training students in the art of ballet at a professional level. Students at the Academy train with integrity and dedication to the arts, and they have an incredible drive to work to be the best version of themselves. Our students have an incredible passion for dancing and they do not let any circumstances set them back from their education.
2017 - 2024

Transforming Lives Through Dance

We are also involved in many online scholarships and guest teacher training via virtual media platforms which is actually a blessing and resource that is beneficial to us because of the outcome of covid. Our academy is set as a non-profit academy. Our students have had the opportunity to train in the United Kingdom and some parts of Europe.
2024

Expansion

We are so excited to build this website and a place for people to support the work we do. 2024,through the kindness of an individual we have covered our rehearsal space with a roof to prevent the sun as we used to practice in the open air since We are also seeking out international training opportunities for both our students and our staff. Our difficulties are mostly the above, resources for training here in Nigeria (a proper studio & equipment) and also opportunities to get professional training or certifications for our teachers.
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