Adeola Adenugba seeks to ignite hope, healing through dance

Adeola Teresa Adenugba, who is popularly known in social circles as Thieola, says she intends to transform lives with every step, sway, and beat.

Thieola’s love affair with dance began as a child, nearly pulling her toward a dance academy instead of a university lecture hall.

After graduating from La Cite Universite in Benin Republic, she returned to Nigeria “with a fire in my soul, teaching dance to bright-eyed primary school children before stepping into the spotlight as a dance fitness coach at Ivory Health Club in 2017”.

“A knee injury briefly dimmed my rhythm, nudging me into journalism and digital marketing, but the dance floor never stopped calling,” she said.

“Family gatherings and friend-filled celebrations kept my passion alive, each move a testament to my unbreakable spirit.

“When the 2020 global pandemic hit, I turned isolation into inspiration. I choreographed socially distanced dance fitness sessions that brought my community together, proving that movement could mend hearts even from afar.”

Thieola added that in 2021, a serendipitous recommendation led her to the Institute of Counselling in Nigeria, where she earned a certification and claimed her place as “Nigeria’s first dance therapist—a title I wear with pride”.

Since then, Thieola has been a whirlwind of impact, leading soul-stirring dance therapy sessions for children, the elderly, and corporate giants like Pernod Ricard, Toontopia Fest, Digit X Plus, Evergreen Wellness Event, Royal Exchange General Insurance, and Pan Atlantic University.

“My mission is to heal the world, one dance at a time, with sessions that spark joy, release pain, and build unbreakable bonds,” she added.

Off the dance floor, Thieola runs a social media agency and mentors an online community of over 70 teens and preteens.

Through daily Bible chats and vibrant summer events, she nurtures the younger generation, helping them discover their talents “and fulfilling God’s purpose”.

Her community started in 2022 with about four teenagers and has grown to over 70 teenagers and preteens with Nigerian roots, some residing in the UK, United States as well as Nigeria. 

“Dance is more than movement — it’s a proof of life,” Thieola said.