LAGOS IS BURNING RETURNS WITH “1977: A BALL IN THE AGE OF BLACK LIBERATION” AT THE DADA GALLERY OPENING

Lagos Is Burning, the city’s defining ballroom-style celebration of queer culture, fashion, and radical joy, made a triumphant return this weekend, marking the grand opening of the new Dada Gallery with its most ambitious theme yet: “1977: A Ball in the Age of Black Liberation.”

Inspired by the electric duality of Studio 54 in New York and FESTAC ’77 in Lagos, the night fused two historic cultural moments into a single, euphoric space. The result was a celebration where Lagos met the global disco era head-on, glitter, groove, and political spirit intertwined in a room buzzing with self-expression.

Guests arrived fully committed to the theme, each look echoing the glamour, rebellion, and creativity of the late ’70s. From structured ruffles to feathers, fringe, oversized sunglasses, and glam-rock makeup, the outfits paid homage to both ballroom culture and Africa’s artistic renaissance. The image attached captures just a glimpse: a group dressed in rich textures, sculptural silhouettes, and a confident mix of disco-era attitude and contemporary Lagos edge.

The night followed the tradition of the ballroom scene, categories that pushed boundaries. but grounded it in the cultural memory of Black artistic liberation across continents. Lagos Is Burning once again affirmed its place as a vital platform for community, expression, and storytelling, proving that the spirit of 1977 remains as powerful and necessary as ever.