Taking dancing to a new level
Adedayo Liadi’s unique dance performance has taken him to over 60 different countries and endeared him to many lovers of the stage
His life is dance, and dance is what he dreams every day. Testimony to his now growing popularity is what many will tell you whenever his name is mentioned. Muscular, easy going, but full of life, that describes Adedayo Liadi, award-winning dancer and founder of the popular Ijodee Dance Technique (IDT). Liadi does not cut the image of a high profile super star in the art circle, except one is told that he is the man behind the Ijode dance group. However, when the issues borders on stage dance come up, his image looms large.
“It started gradually many years ago. I will say that I love dance and I followed that passion in my life. I am happy anytime on stage dancing or doing any theatrical performance”, he said. A graduate of the International School of Dance and Choreography, Senegal who also trained in France, stories has it that Laidi, as a young boy, used to be interested in dance and music. Since bursting on his dancing career, he has been on the go. Also trained in Essen, Germany and in Vienna, Austria, his is a flourishing career
Laidi, whose career is daily raising said money or material things, is not the ultimate achievement for him, rather touching and training youths on dance and how to take up the career. The dancer, who recently performed to crowd admiration in Europe, discussed how his dancing voyage started. “I would say that God chose me to be a dancer. It gives me joy. For more than 25 years this is what I do going to many parts of the world. I don’t think I would do anything in life better than dancing.”
Currently a United Nation (UN) Peace Ambassador for dance he also has been recognised as the best Nigerian dancer 2002/2003, by Dance Guild of Nigeria; The two times UNESCO/ASHBERG bursary award winner, 2003/2004, and now a dance Web Europe member said he fills fulfilled following his childhood passion
He has choreographed many events too including the ‘Check TVC Dance for Africa,’ which took gold medal at the 2010 Mena Grand Crital film award in Lebanon.
Laidi was awarded the Eko’GOND Dance Ambassador Award 2010 and Eko GOND Media Dance Person Award 2010. He won Youth Assembly Royalty Awards for his excellent contribution to Dance in Nigeria 2011. His choreography won the Most Prolific Dance Company Award for Ijodee at LASU 2011. In 2012 he was honored a special recognition award by Fleet Foundation for his immense and exemplary contribution to the development of dance in Nigeria. He won the 2012 NANTAP National Excellent Award for Dance and Choreography. He is also the YOMAFA Best Nigerian Male Dancer 2012 Award winner.
In 2012 Adedayo was invited as African dancer/choreographer by Sidance, Korean Ministry of Culture and Sport for six months dance exchange CPI program with East Europeans, Taiwanese and Korean Dancers/Choreographers. He was awarded the CCADT award in 2013 due to his immense contributions to the development of Arts and culture in Africa. He was nominated for the Leadership Quality Award (ISQL 2013 gold category) in Paris. He was nominated for the SPAN Dance and Choreography Excellence Award 2013. Also in 2013 he was awarded the UN peace ambassador as a professional dance artiste who has impacted his generation with his talent and profession.
In 2014, the Nigerian Amenthyst Dance Awards awarded him and his company the Dance Pace Setter in Nigeria and Best Choreographed Dance Campaign in Nigeria. Also in 2014, he was inducted by the Bifadd Hall of Fame in Nigeria organized by Benue state government; was given an Excellence Award by the Era of legends in 2015.
He has conducted several national and international dance workshops and has travelled to over 65 countries around the world. His choreography Ori’ won the first position at the 5th African/Indian Ocean choreographic contest in Antananarivo, Madagascar 2003.
Presently an associate Afro-dance teacher for MA and BA dance students at the BCDA (Budapest Contemporary Dance Academy) Hungary, Laidi said all it takes to succeed in life is focus and determination.
He has worked as a dance teacher and instructor in Universities in Nigeria, Africa, Europe, Asia and South America. He was the Director of Special Duties of the Dance Guild of Nigerian “National GOND” 2009 – 2013 and a member of National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP Lagos chapter). Apart from other achievements, he choreographed and danced in international events. Olori Oko musical dance made him popular but said that his breakthrough came Ori, a musical dance he released many years ago.
