Meet Our
Team
Rosie Lehan
Co-Director
Trained at Laban Centre (Trinity Laban) BA (Hons) Dance and Middlesex University MA Performing Arts. Working with Beverley Glean since 2000 Rosie has worked on a diverse range of projects, including Connecting Vibes Dance Company, established with Beverley Glean to provide opportunities for young artists at an early stage of their career. Other ventures include the Dance and Diversity project, an action-based research project originally funded by NESTA and ACE to investigate the place of African and Caribbean dance. The Project ongoing since 2004, included a research trip to the USA, Jamaica, Cuba and Ghana.
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Rosie worked as a Dance Lecturer at City and Islington College working on partnership projects with organisations such as Creative Partnerships, conducting research projects and establishing links in the USA and China.
Together with Beverley they created and subsequently led The Foundation Degree in Dance and in 2018 successfully launched the BA(Hons) Diverse Dance Styles validated by University of Roehampton.
Beverley Glean - MBE
Co-Director
Founder, Artistic Director and CEO of IRIE! dance theatre Beverley has been working in the field of dance, in particular African Peoples Dance for over 20 years. Trained at the Laban Centre London (Trinity Laban), The Jamaica School of Dance and The Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba; she has continued her training and development in dance & culture by working alongside artists from West Africa, Europe, America, and the Caribbean. Beverley founded IRIE! dance theatre in 1985. The company pioneered the move towards representing and promoting reggae music and its movement nuances on stage. Over the years, IRIE! has grown in stature. As well as its touring dance theatre company, it has developed a much sought after education & community outreach programme.
Since 1992 Beverley has developed the relationship between IRIE! dance theatre and City and Islington College, delivering workshops, lectures and performance projects. Since 2000 she has co- directed a number of performance/research projects in partnership with the College and IRIE! dance theatre including; Connecting vibes Dance Company and the Dance and Diversity project, funded by NESTA and ACE to investigate the place of African and Caribbean dance within performance and education She has worked to develop the new BA(Hons) Diverse Dance Styles, launched in 2018. In 2016 Beverley received a Lifetime Achievement Award from ADAD and in 2017 was awarded an MBE for services to the promotion of African and Caribbean Dance.
Leroy 'FX' Dias Dos Santos
Choreographer
Leroy 'FX' Dias Dos Santos is a passionate dance artist who continues to perfect his craft as a hybrid performer and choreographer. Born in Angola and raised in North London, Leroy was inspired by Michael Jackson and his cousins to pursue dance from a young age.
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In 2007, he graduated from Middlesex University studying Dance Performance, where he developed his ballet, contemporary and jazz technique. Throughout his career Leroy has worked with HM The Queen, Prince Charles, Jermaine Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Jason Statham, Will.I.AM, Jessie J, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Leona Lewis, Sugababes, Aston Merrygold and choreographers such as Jermaine Brown, Rafael Bonachela, Shobana Jesaysingh, Mavin Khoo as well as The English National Ballet.
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Leroy performed in theatre productions 'Carmen Jones' (2007) at The Royal Festival Hall, 'La Travaita' (2007) and 'Aida' (2008) conducted under The Welsh National Opera. He is also a member of the street dance sensation Flawless, who were finalists on ITV’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’. They featured in movies such as ‘Street Dance 3D’ 1 and 2 by Vertigo films (2009) and have currently been touring their new theatre production ‘Chase the Dream 2’ (2018-2019) across the UK and internationally.
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As well as performing, he has also had the opportunity to choreograph and collaborate with Susie Mckenna on ‘Mandem On The Wall’ Live Show at Hackney Empire (2015) and ‘Macbeth’ with Twist Theatre Company (2015-2016), ‘Hosea’s Girl’ (2015) a Hip Hop spoken word play written by Anastasia Osei- Kuffour.
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Leroy currently teaches dance technique and choreography across different sectors and has had the opportunity to work with different dance institutions such as Urdang Academy, Middlesex University, IRIE! Dance Theatre, Frantic Assembly, Dance College London, Wac Arts, Springs Dance Company and Hertford Regional College, which has all played a significant role to his teaching. Nurturing the younger generation and mentoring them through dance is a key part of Leroy’s teaching and philosophy
Nii Kwartey Owoo
Choreographer
Nii Kwartey Owoo is the director of Miishejeloi Dance Theatre (Accra/London), Miishe African Music and Dance (Leeds), Asasaa Ensemble and a Creative Associate at The Geraldine Connor Foundation (Leeds).
Originally from Accra, Ghana, Nii draws on his Ga heritage, including spiritual beliefs, storytelling and symbolism, creating original choreography that blends tradition with current global dance styles. Nii grew up in a traditional royal household and was given the title Custodian of Culture by his elders at the age of 12; he incorporates this knowledge of West African culture and music in his work
Photo: Beth MacInnes