A night celebrating dance, culture and music has been held to mark South Asian Heritage Month.

Hundreds turned out for a vibrant show at the Orchard West Theatre in Dartford despite threats of riots elsewhere in the county.

The event was hosted by arts charity, Cohesion Plus in partnership with the theatre and community figures Sujatha Thaladi, Bina Ghimire and Cllr Avtar Sandhu.

There were an array of dance performances originating from different South Asian countries and regions.

Nepalese Hindu Dance Association, Dartford Telugu Association, the Neetha Rohini Dance Academy and Soptosur Music School all took to the stage.

There were also forms of ancient classical Indian dance called Khatak and Bhartnatyam, and a traditional North Indian dance originating from the farming roots of the region showcased during the night.

The finale performance was given by Four by Four Youth Club and the Kings of Dhol drawing the celebration to a close.

More than 200 people attended to show their support, including Mayor of Dartford, Cllr Andy Lloyd.

Creative director of Cohesion Plus, Gurvinder Sandher said: “We couldn’t be prouder of the wonderful activity we were able to deliver this year for South Asian Heritage Month.

“At the time of the delivering the Dartford event, our country was in the grip of violent, racist riots which were taking place across major cities.

“The aim of these riots was to divide communities and ensure that ethnically diverse communities felt marginalised and afraid.

“This is why as an organisation whose central ethos is cohesion, unity and the championing of what binds us together, we were adamant that we continue with our plans in order to stand against far-right hateful rhetoric.

“As such, we were greatly enthused with how the celebrations were received by individuals from all backgrounds.

“It is so important that we all continue to champion diversity, especially in the face of those trying to divide.

“I am grateful to all our partners across both events who volunteered their time and efforts during a difficult time, to ensure we delivered the best possible activity that pays tribute to the contributions of the South Asian diaspora here in the UK.”