Last week, London’s iconic Cadogan Hall was transformed into a vibrant celebration of youth culture and movement as hundreds of secondary school students and youth groups from across Greater London took part in Step Live 2026.
Step Live is widely recognised as one of the UK’s largest and most prestigious dance events dedicated to providing important performance opportunities for secondary school students. The annual showcase is the flagship event of Step into Dance; a transformative youth programme created in partnership between the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and the Jack Petchey Foundation.
At Step Live, there was strong representation from a range of London boroughs, with school students from Camden, Bromley, Sutton, Greenwich, Southwark, Croydon, Wandsworth, Lambeth, Haringey, Barnet and Bexley, and Saffron Walden in Essex.
The performances were the culmination of months of hard work, showcasing routines learned through the Step into Dance programme. Audiences were treated to an explosive variety of dance styles, including Afro, contemporary, street, and hip-hop.
Another highlight of the evening was a performance by SYNC, the Step into Dance youth company. They delivered a powerful hip-hop theatre piece titled ‘Murmuration’, choreographed by Step into Dance practitioner Bethan Siddaway.
Alex Lowe, Deputy Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Dance said: “Watching these incredibly talented young people light up the Cadogan Hall stage was nothing short of inspiring. Step Live is not just about performance; it’s about confidence, community, and giving young Londoners a platform to express their unique voices through dance.”
Gemma Juma, Chief Executive Officer of the Jack Petchey Foundation said: “Step Live is a truly inspiring celebration of young people’s creativity and talent, bringing together months of dedication into performances that showcase an incredible range of dance styles. Dance plays a vital role in supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing, helping them to build confidence, express themselves and develop skills that extend far beyond the stage, something that mattered deeply to Sir Jack Petchey CBE. We are immensely proud of every young performer who took part!”
For more information on Step into Dance and to follow this year’s 20th anniversary celebrations beginning from September 2026 in line with the academic year, visit: https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/dance-classes/step-into-dance/. Did you take part in Step into Dance? Get in touch with us via the link above!
