Breakin’ Convention

CELEBRATING FOUR WOMEN CHANGING THE FACE OF HIP HOP

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The world’s most prestigious annual hip hop theatre festival is bringing the best hip hop talent from around the world to our audiences for the 17th consecutive year in May. Breakin’ Convention’s 2020 edition promises to be the biggest yet, with a wide range of performers hailing from across the globe – from the UK to Canada, France, the Netherlands, South Korea and, for the first time, Peru.  

Ahead of International Women’s Day, we celebrate some of the exceptional female dance artists featured in this year’s line-up. We showcase their journeys within a traditionally male-dominated field and look at the ways in which they are changing the face of hip-hop dance.

A.I.M Collective (UK)
A.I.M Collective. Image: Dave Barros

This year’s festival features A.I.M Collective, a London-based collective of female poppers. A.I.M, which stands for Artistry In Movement, includes some of the strongest choreography and freestyle-based dancers in the UK. The group was established in 2018 by prominent UK dancer and choreographer Shawn Aimey. At Breakin’ Convention 2020, it will present a new piece entitled My London.

A.I.M Collective member Victoria Shulungu is fluent not only in popping, but in a variety of hip-hop styles, including Krump. She also produces for dance company Spoken Movement, has worked with Sadler’s Wells’ New Wave Associate Hetain Patel and is a member of the hip hop theatre collective Far From The Norm, led by artistic director and Olivier award-winning choreographer Botis Seva.

Why is your dance style unique to you?

Popping has been a style that I have always loved. I love exerting power and force but also being able to control what’s been shown by creating an illusion. Krump has grown on me now more than ever because it allows you to feel the most explosive feeling. The reason why I do these styles is because I love playing with tension and release. There’s no better feeling than that!

What does being a woman in hip hop mean to you?

Within the hip hop community, being a woman can be a blessing or a curse. I get tired of having to always differentiate the experience of being a woman. We have to do this all the time in our everyday lives. I aim to not always project this when dancing, but instead allow the power to speak through my movement and the energy I possess.

Victoria Shulungu (right) in Hetain Patel’s Don’t Look At The Finger. Image: Nick Matthews

What are your expectations for the Breakin’ Convention festival?

I look forward to being inspired by the performances. I’m also looking forward to having conversations with people I may never have crossed paths with. I just want to be a sponge in many different ways so that I can give back the same energy when I’m performing. Each one teach one – I guess that’s fair to say.

Yeah Yellow (France)

Yeah Yellow is an award-winning multidisciplinary hip hop dance crew. It was founded in 2012 by choreographers Camille ‘Kami’ Regneault and Julien ‘Bee D’ Saint Maximin. They  performed as part of Breakin’ Convention’s national tour in 2017 tour and were part of the Sadler’s Wells Sampled festival in 2018. To this year’s Breakin’ Convention festival, they bring their duet Dos au Mur (Back to the Wall). Accompanied by live musicians, the piece explores the concept of human evolution and the constant correlation between us and the society we shape.

Yeah Yellow choreographers Julien ‘Bee D’ Saint Maximin (left) and Camille ‘Kami’ Regneault (right). Image: Dan Aucante

Self-taught in hip hop dance, Kami began her career as a gymnast before setting her sights on the world of breaking. Since then, she has competed at several national and international battles and has gone on to win a number of major championship titles. She won the French B-Girl Champion title three times, in 2013, 2015 and 2016. 

Why is your dance style unique to you?

I like the performance side of breaking coupled with the search for originality. This discipline allows me to always seek ways to surpass myself physically, but also creatively.

What does being a woman in hip hop mean to you?

I do not necessarily seek to have a place as a woman in hip hop, but rather to have a place as a good dancer. I don’t want to be strong ‘for a girl’, but just strong. It’s really important to me. I want to show that nothing is impossible when we remove the psychological barriers that we, or society, have created.

Image: Camille Regneault.

What are your expectations for the Breakin’ Convention festival?

I would like to make people dream and show them the strength of Love. I speak here of Love with a capital L. For my part, the love of dance changed my life and allowed me to flourish. I think it is never easy to do what we love and believe in our dreams. I would like to inspire the courage in others to do just that. It’s an honour to do it at Breakin’ Convention, which is a must-see place for hip hop dance.

Paradox Sal (France)
Paradox Sal, Queen Blood. Image: Willow Evann

This all-female crew from Paris presents a powerful house dance piece entitled Queen Blood. Performed with grace, fluidity and power by eight dancers, it explores the concept of femininity. Queen Blood reflects a variety of moods and emotional states and fuses afro-house and hip-hop dance styles with music varying from pumping house beats to the dulcet tones of Nina Simone. The work is choreographed by Ousmane ‘Babson’ Sy, one of France’s first generation of house dancers and member of iconic hip hop dance crew Wanted Posse.

Choreographer and Paradox Sal member Linda Hayford said:

​My fundamental style is popping. I like it because it allows me to create supernatural universes, using body control. From creating a living robot to slowing time, the effects you can create are endless but nonetheless grounded in sound and music. Popping is where I find the inspiration to develop a body language I have been working on since 2015, which I call ‘Shifting Pop’. It combines the popping technique with my own research on metamorphosis and its particularities. 

Linda Hayford. Image: Thibault Montamat

What does being a woman in hip hop mean to you?

Being a woman in hip-hop culture for me means giving yourself the place and space to build and own your identity – as a human being, as a woman and as an artist. It is about figuring out who you are now and who you want to become, which I think is the same intention for both men and women in hip hop alike. 

What are your expectations for the Breakin’ Convention festival?

I have never been to Breakin’ Convention, so I do not really know what to expect! But I have always heard good things about the good vibes and performances there, so I expect to have a great time and meet amazing people.

Spoken Movement (UK)
Spoken Movement members (l-r) Catrina Nisbett, Kwame Asafo-Adjei and ‘Boogie’.
Image: Dave Barros

Spoken Movement is a UK-based company that blends elements of street dance and contemporary dance to create their own movement vocabulary. We invited its founder and artistic director Kwame Asafo-Adjei to curate an evening in our Lilian Baylis Studio as part of the Wild Card series in 2018. Within the programme was duet Family Honour, which went on to win international choreographic competition Danse Élargie the same year. The company brought the work back to our stage last autumn, when as part of our FranceDance UK season we programmed Dance Élargie: Dance Expanded, an evening showcasing a selection of previous finalists and winners from the competition.

Spoken Movement members (l-r) Catrina Nisbett, Kwame Asafo-Adjei and ‘Boogie’.
Image: Dave Barros

Performed by dance artist Catrina Nisbett and Asafo-Adjei, Family Honour explores religious and cultural taboos in a Ghanaian family through the charged relationship between the two characters. They perform the piece on our stage for the third time at the Breakin’ Convention festival.

From a young age, Catrina trained with a number of London-based street dance groups, including Avant Garde Dance and Definitives. Well versed in a number of hip hop styles, she now studies contemporary dance at Northern School of Contemporary Dance.

Why is hop hop dance important to you?

I fell in love with hip hop culture from a very young age, and was influenced a lot by older family members and peers. Growing up in the area that I did, the young people used to dance in the local community centre. I know for a fact that hip hop saved us. Now other styles such as popping, krump and contemporary inform my movement, but hip hop will always be my first love. 

Showreel video. Video: Catrina Nisbett.

On breaking down barriers in the art form:

To me being a woman in hip hop is about challenging the typical stereotypes of both women and men. I have never allowed my gender to define whether I can do something – within the art or otherwise. Even though initially it was subconscious, it is important that gender was, and is, my way of being honest and audacious in my expression.

What are your expectations for the Breakin’ Convention festival?

I am particularly looking forward to seeing how performing Family Honour multiple times a week will affect the piece – what new developments we may discover both within the piece and in ourselves as artists.

Breakin’ Convention is an integral part of Sadler’s Wells’ artistic programme. The festival takes place at Sadler’s Wells on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May 2020. Tickets are available here.

Main image: Catrina Nisbett. Photo: Dave Barros

STUDENTS CREATE MUSIC VIDEO WITH RAP PRODUCER TSB

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Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention team brought together young aspiring dancers, MCs, music producers and graffiti artists to learn new skills and create a music video as part of Future Elements. The free, annual project engaged 28 students aged 13-16 with hip-hop culture during the February half term.

Over the course of a week, professional artists led the participants into an exploration of various aspects of hip hop, from choreographing routines and creating artwork to lyric writing and music production. The week culminated in the creation of a professional music video, which will premiere at Sadler’s Wells on 21 March.

The seven mentors to the group of young students were: Breakin’ Convention’s artistic director Jonzi D; b-boy and founding member of dance group Rain Crew Clint Sinclair; Vicky ‘Skytilz’ Mantey from dance company Boy Blue Entertainment; rap artist Capo Lee; graffiti artist Boyd Hill; film director Sebastian Thiel; and TSB, a music producer who has worked with rappers including Stormzy, Dave and AJ Tracey.

We spoke to some of the participants and TSB to find out about their experience, inspirations and highlights of the project.

“I’m Jordan. I’m 17 years old. My favourite artists are Stormzy and Dave. I joined the programme because it’s all about Future Elements, so it’s all about us – the future! The experience this week has inspired me and my music.”

Young participants filming their music video for Future Elements.

“My name’s Caleb. I’m 15. My favourite artist right now is Santan Dave. I like performing, rapping and acting. I got involved in Future Elements because I had the experience with Breakin’ Convention before, when I took part in the East Education summer school, and I wanted to do it again. This week I learned to be more confident on stage. TSB gave me a few producing tips as well, which was really good.”

Participant Caleb performing during Future Elements music video shoot.

“My name is Havin. I’m 14 years old. Right now, I’m listening to Dave. I wanted to do Future Elements because it was a new opportunity and I knew there would be good networking and good mentors. The biggest thing I learned this week is that TSB is actually alive – before this, I didn’t know if he really existed or not! He’s a bit low-key, so I was shocked when I met him.”

Havin (pictured in orange) and other Future Elements participants during the music video shoot.  

We spoke to music producer and mentor TSB about his experience as a mentor on the Future Elements project.

Mentor Sebastian Thiel oversees the music video shoot during Future Elements project.

How did you hear about Future Elements?

I heard about Future Elements through Shay [Rafati, Breakin’ Convention’s Education Officer]. I’d got involved with Breakin’ Convention’s [artist development course] Minor Art Surgery before, but this was the first time I’ve done any sort of mentoring in this capacity. When Shay contacted me about Future Elements, it looked like something I definitely wanted to get more involved in, so I did.

Could you tell us a little bit about how you work?

I like to start from scratch. I didn’t come with any beats ready; I made everything on the spot in front of them, making sure there was more of an immersive element. It allows you to understand the young people quicker – what they dislike and what they like. Involving them in that capacity allowed things to run a bit smoother.

Mentors (in order of appearance) Sebastien Thiel, Vicky ‘Skytilz’ Mantey, Clint Smith, Capo Lee and Boyd Hill during Future Elements project.

Were there any surprises along the way?

I was surprised about how capable they were – they were able to just jump on beats and do their thing. It’s crazy because I didn’t actually start making music until I was 16. Meeting kids who are younger than when I first started out, it’s good to see how that generation has advanced and developed and grown already. I found the whole process comfortable.

Could you share a highlight of being a mentor on Future Elements?

There’s been a few. Seeing the joy that the young people get from this – that’s been a highlight. Music is an amazing way to express yourself. Seeing some of the kids that are multitalented – that can dance as well as rap and sing and do other things. It’s been exciting to see the talent overall.

Mentor Vicky ‘Skytilz’ Mantey with young participants during a Future Elements workshop.

Being able to witness how good these young kids are has really been a big highlight, especially the ones that didn’t even know they had the ability to do this. For them to try and achieve what they’ve achieved this week has been great to see.

What three words would you use to describe your experience on the Future Elements programme?

Caleb: entertaining, exciting and fun.

Havin: amazing, great and enlightening.

Jordan: Future Elements in three words? Very, very good.

TSB: Fun. Motivating. Inspiring.

Images throughout: Ryan McAneny.

Tickets for Future Elements Night on 21 March are available here.

SW VOICES: MEET OUR APPRENTICES

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To mark National Apprenticeship Week, we celebrate the contribution of three talented apprentices working at Sadler’s Wells: Campaign Marketing apprentice Amy Falla, Digital & Content apprentice Angharad Mainwaring and Breakin’ Convention Support apprentice Ryan McAneny.

We ask them about some common misconceptions surrounding apprenticeships, tips on how to break into the creative industries and what the future holds for them. 

Tell us about yourself. What have you been watching or reading recently? If you could master a new skill in an instant, what would it be?

Amy: I’m the Campaign Marketing Apprentice here at Sadler’s Wells and I’m doing business association at [tech startup] White Hat. I run an art collective back home in Suffolk to help connect and promote young artists in the region. My role here has really inspired me to communicate art to a younger audience and engage young people in the arts.

I recently read How To Fail by Elizabeth Day. I noticed someone in the Campaigns team reading it so I went out and bought it. It’s really good! The skill I would learn if I had the chance is knowing how to save money.

Angharad: I’m currently studying digital marketing level 3 and I’m the Digital & Content Apprentice at Sadler’s Wells. I really like art and creating things digitally. I’m also interested in advocacy around disability and I’m trying to do a lot of research on that at the moment. I run my own blog and it’s really fun being able to merge my interest in accessibility with the digital content skills I’m using at work.

I’m currently watching The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix. If I could learn a skill overnight, it would be to learn a new language. l think it would be so cool to be able to whip out Russian any time you like!

Ryan: I’m 23, I’m studying business administration and I’m the Breakin’ Convention Support Apprentice. I dance outside of work, I teach dance outside of work, I’m a dad outside of work (laughs). At the moment I’m re-watching Prison Break because it’s the best thing that ever happened and I’ve just finished Suits. If I could learn anything, it would be a new language.

What does your apprenticeship involve day-to-day?

Amy: I assist the marketing managers at Sadler’s Wells and at The Peacock with campaigns. That might involve helping to brainstorm ideas on how we’re going to promote a show, researching the audience we’re going to promote it to, grassroots and e-mail marketing. I also help out with the access scheme as well as admin duties, such as working on print and posters.

Angharad: Day-to-day, I help [Digital Manager] Mark and [Digital Officer] Sarah to build web pages, make videos for our front-of-house plasma screens and edit smaller trailers. I also help [Content Officer] Rosie and [Content Manager] Rosanna with subtitling video content. Now that I’m a few months into the apprenticeship, it’s quite nice that I don’t have to keep asking them what I need to do. People know that we’re here and things fall onto our plate quite naturally.

Ryan: I do a lot of research for [hip hop theatre festival] Breakin’ Convention’s national tour – specifically around where we can utilise our outreach, especially at the grassroots level with local schools, dance and production companies. As we tour around cities and towns across the country, the aim is to start sparking conversations [between venues and local hip hop artists] and leaving a network in place. I’d say I spend a lot of my time here asking questions, mostly about hip hop theatre.

What is a common misconception about apprenticeships? Could you share some ‘myth-busters’ and tips from your experience so far?

Amy: Apprenticeships in the arts can be quite hard to come by. Working for a really renowned arts organisation like Sadler’s Wells, we’re proving that actually apprenticeships are out there. University isn’t the only pathway into the creative industries, you just need to dig a little deeper. Platforms like gov.uk and the Arts Council’s website are really good starting points for apprenticeship opportunities and arts jobs.

Angharad: I think a misconception around apprentices comes from our age. Usually, apprentices tend to be younger so there’s that assumption that we’re personal assistants or that we get the teas and coffees. I think younger people in the arts sector give organisations more of an insight into younger audiences. My advice to employers is: don’t be afraid to challenge the youth. We can be given more responsibilities, if anything.

Ryan: My initial thoughts before working at Breakin’ Convention were that apprentices did the jobs that no one else wants to do. I used to think that you don’t really have much of a say or hold as much importance in the organisation. But I actually think I’ve learned more coming in as an apprentice than if I had jumped straight into a job here. I’ve been able to learn a lot of things rather than focusing on the one thing. I have way more responsibility than I ever thought I would.

What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?

Amy: Seeing the auditorium packed full of all different types of audiences. It’s really encouraging to see that the marketing campaigns we’ve worked on have that kind of impact at the end of the day. One other thing that’s great about working at Sadler’s Wells is that we’re encouraged to make the most out of the experience. I did some shadowing for the costume department, which was different to what I normally do, but also really interesting in terms of seeing the other side of theatre.

Angharad: I like everything about my job! Recently I made the grid poster for Sadler’s Wells Sampled. It was so cool, because Amy sent me photos of it being projected on the front-of-house screens and in the auditorium. It’s really rewarding to see that something you’ve worked on has contributed to a show in the grand scheme of things.

Apprentice Angharad helped realise this poster for Sadler’s Wells’ Sampled.

Another highlight was helping the Content team with the Natalia Osipova video in the ‘Confessions of a Ballet Star’ series. It was amazing to see it go viral, it made me feel like a proud mum.

Apprentice Angharad helped realise this Confessions of a Ballet Dancer video.

Ryan: I recently helped out [Breakin’ Convention Digital Communications Officer] Dave with the filming and editing for the highlights reel of Back To The Lab, Breakin’ Convention’s professional development programme. It was my first time having that much control over a digital project like that, and I probably would never been able to do that anywhere else.

Apprentice Ryan helped realise this video for Breakin’ Convention’s Back To The Lab.

I also love watching the creative process of the artists on our professional development courses. I’d love the opportunity to do Open Art Surgery one day. Seeing the opportunities here in London just makes me think of how I can help to take the same opportunities to Birmingham, where I’m based.

Have you encountered any challenges?

Amy: Leaving the office at 4pm! You need to remember that you do have a life outside of work, and it’s just as important.

Angharad: It’s hard to juggle the responsibilities of doing a course and your day-to-day job. It’s not like you’re in a classroom. You’re at your desk and people assume you’re just getting on with Sadler’s Wells stuff, when actually you’re dedicating time to assignments, which need to be the priority sometimes.

Ryan: Balancing my workload with my college work. I get very into my work, so sometimes it’s hard to switch off when I get home. There’s also so much more time management you do with a new-born! Jobwise, I never really look back at anything I’ve done and see it as a challenge. It’s more like, “that was a lot of effort and hard work, but it was worth it”.

How has your apprenticeship benefited you? 

Amy: The networking opportunities have been really great. I’ve been able to meet people in similar roles at other organisations, theatres and galleries. I still don’t really know where I want to go in the future, but I think understanding the different pathways into an arts organisation is the first step. The insider knowledge you get from working in an arts organisation on things such as Arts Council funding, audience development, tone of voice – it’s all really useful stuff, which I’ll go on to use personally and professionally.

Angharad: I definitely feel like I’ve learned so many skills already. Being able to practise what I’ve always been interested in has been amazing. The guidance from Sarah, Mark and Rosie has been great; hearing from arts professionals about how they got to where they are and learning from them on a day-to-day basis, I’m just in pure admiration. If I could think of a word to describe Sadler’s Wells, it would be ‘inspiring’. Being inspired makes you want to express your creativity more and explore what you’re passionate about.

Ryan:I’ve gained loads of new skills and networks. I can now write fancy emails (laughs). I’ve been given the opportunity to be the Breakin’ Convention rep for Birmingham thanks to [Head of Breakin’ Convention] Chelle and [Breakin’ Convention Tour Producer] Emma, which is such a bonus for me. Liaising with artists and freelancers has helped build my confidence in what I do. To be able to say you’ve worked in the Breakin’ Convention team at Sadler’s Wells, having that behind you – people are very interested in that.

To be honest, I never saw myself in an environment like this. Being a dancer, I was always used to everything being a bit rough around the edges, but here it’s really professional. Working 9 to 5 in an office doesn’t seem all that bad when you’re in the right environment, doing what you love. Theatre wasn’t a place I ever really saw myself working in, but now that’s where I want to go.

National Apprenticeship Week 2020 takes place from 3 to 9 February 2020. The annual celebration recognises the value and impact apprenticeships bring to employers and the wider industry. This year’s theme, ‘Look Beyond’, focuses on the value of diversity. The aim is to showcase the talent and contribution apprentices bring to the workplace, as well as the breadth of industries and roles available to young people considering routes into employment outside of higher education.

Images throughout: Shirley Ahura.

“REASSURING. COMFORTABLE. OPEN. NEEDED”: HIP HOP ARTIST JOURNEYS BACK TO THE LAB

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Four hip hop artists went Back To The Lab to develop their practice and create new work under the mentorship of leading choreographers, theatre makers and dramaturgs this month. Nathan Lafayette, Pervez, Shaadow Sefiroth and duo Cat Jiminez & Jaekwon took part in the latest edition of the artist development course, led by Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention’s team.

Back To The Lab invites professional hip hop artists to explore and experiment with different choreographic methods. It supports them as they put their new-found knowledge into practice by devising new work, which is then presented to, and discussed with, a live audience at the end of an intensive, two-week period.

Ahead of the final sharing in our Lilian Baylis Studio on 25 January, we speak to Nathan Lafayette about his creative journey, tackling impostor syndrome and more.

Back To The Lab 2020 course participants ‘walk in’ video. Dave Barros.

What does going ‘Back To The Lab’ involve?

It’s very much a learning process in the first week. You’re picking up a lot of information, which at times can be quite overwhelming, but also reassuring. A lot of it is about extending our palette in terms of the tools we work with, and sometimes focusing more on one specific tool. Using an analogy that Mikey J [Asante, composer and co-founder of hip-hop dance company Boy Blue Entertainment] shared on a previous artist development course: “Sometimes you want to work with the hammer.” Back To The Lab helps me understand what my hammer is. It’s been interesting finding out how we work, sparking different conversations and hearing people’s perspectives.

Course participants and mentors during a Back To The Lab workshop.

We’re in the second week of the programme. Could you tell us a bit about what you’re working on and what are you most looking forward to?

The second week is more work focused. It’s about building your piece to show. This being the second week, it feels like we have all these tools we can choose to use, but also, it’s like there’s no right way to do it. Whatever way works for you is the way to work.   

Course participants Youngung Sebastian Kim (l) and Paz ‘Cat’ Katrina Jimenez (r) during a Back To The Lab workshop.

I’m looking forward to moving and trying things out, even if it does mess up, or it doesn’t feel correct. It’s been a while since I’ve had the space to make decisions, so it’s a bit surreal. I always say when I’m teaching a class: if you find something you don’t like, then you’ve learned that and you know what direction you want to go in. It’s about having the space to refine what’s already there.

Course participants Youngung Sebastian Kim (l) and Paz ‘Cat’ Katrina Jimenez (r) during a Back To The Lab workshop.

I’m also really looking forward to seeing how I work in the studio with someone else, whose movement I love and whom I really love working with. But also seeing how we learn from each other.

What’s a valuable piece of advice you’ve received so far? How has it impacted and informed your approach to your work?

A bit of advice that was given to me for my own movement by Ivan [Blackstock, choreographer] is to find out what my 100% is. Also, something [choreographer] Jonathan Burrows said about ‘decorating’ your work made me think a lot more about that. How can I decorate my work? How little or how much can I say through movement? I feel like my movement is very slow and internal, so it’s about learning the opposite of what I usually do and not holding back.

Back To The Lab mentor Jonathan Burrows with course participants.

Can you share a personal highlight of the course?

Working with Saskia, the dancer I’m creating this duet with. She’s such a beautiful mover and thinker, and sometimes when we’re next to people like that, we can go into ourselves a bit. We’re always going to see more in other people than we see in ourselves. Having conversations with Saskia and hearing how she works, but also what she appreciates in my own movement, has given me that reassurance in realising what my ‘superpower’ is.

Course participants Nathan Lafayette (l) and Saskia Horton (r) during a Back To The Lab workshop.

Have there been any challenges?

Working through the self-doubt and self-awareness has been on my mind for the last couple of years. I can look around a room and think ‘Oh, that person is dope because of this or that’, but I don’t often feel dope for anything. I don’t know what my ‘thing’ is. I feel more comfortable knowing now that I have accumulated what I’ve accumulated, and whatever I’ve accumulated is what I am. In a way, we become a cross-stitch of all our influences and teachers. I am a product of everyone I’ve ever interacted with and everyone that has taught me before. It’s been nice to be able to step back and understand that a little bit more on the programme.

How are you feeling about the final sharing?

I’m actually not that anxious about it. I definitely feel like there’s a sense of levelling up but knowing that I’m working with Saskia makes me feel less nervous. Having someone in the room to bounce off [ideas] means a lot; it settles my mind.

Nathan Lafayette (l) and Saskia Horton (r).

I’m kind of excited. Of course, [as it happens] inside every artist you want people to like your work. The purpose of a piece isn’t necessarily to inform, but it would be nice to know that mine puts the audience in a state of thought. The work is called Player2 and is very much based on a world of energy, chemical reactions, magnetism and vibrations. How elements react and come together is a core part of it. It’s turned into something that is quite scientific, but it uses science as an analogy for relationships. It would be interesting to see the piece as a catalyst that gets the audience to think about the people they connect with.

Nathan Lafayette (l) and Saskia Horton (r).

Could you describe the Back To The Lab experience in a few words?

Reassuring. Comfortable. Open. Needed. I’m in London, performing on Saturday at Sadler’s Wells theatre! To know that I’m one of four choreographers whose work is going to be seen is surreal.  It’s a great opportunity, but again, I don’t feel the pressure to do it ‘right’. Coming from Birmingham and being a part of something that is as high-profile for the hip-hop dance community as Back To The Lab, I feel even more of a push to represent myself.

Nathan Lafayette (centre) during a Back To The Lab workshop.

Breakin’ Convention presents Back To The Lab is at Sadler’s Wells’ Lilian Baylis Studio on Saturday 25 January. Tickets are available here.

Images throughout: Dave Barros.

Ivan Blackstock: “Hip hop artists are in a constant rush. This is an opportunity to experience an actual creative process.”

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Six hip hop artists enjoyed a week of experimentation, creation and refinement of their practice under the mentorship of leading choreographers, theatre makers and dramaturgs as part of the latest Open Art Surgery course this month.

Delivered by Sadler’s Wells’ Breakin’ Convention team, the artist development programme involved hip hop artists from a diverse range of backgrounds, from dance and physical theatre to spoken word and design, in a series of intensive workshops to devise and develop new work.

With no pressure on them to come up with a finished piece as an outcome, the artists presented their work in progress at a public sharing at the end of the week. This unique format invites the audience to get inside the mind of the artists and to give them feedback, while offering artists a platform to take creative risks and test out new ideas.

We speak to hip hop choreographer and Open Art Surgery mentor Ivan Blackstock, delving into a day in the life of the artist development programme.

Mentor Ivan Blackstock (L) with Open Art Surgery participant Harvey Burke.

What does a typical day at Open Art Surgery look like?

A day in the life of Open Art Surgery sees the artists in the space. Mentors usually pop in every two to three hours just to see how they’re doing. It also involves giving artists the time and space to just be, which is very rare for a lot of them. What Breakin’ Convention tries to do is give the artists enough time to get in a good mental space before the mentors, come in and add, influence… or disrupt (laughs).

A lot of the artists are at different artistic stages: you have professional makers who are creating work already. Then you have the street and hip-hop dancers that have never touched theatre before. Then there’s this added layer of different artists, who range from beatboxers to emcees and writers. It ends up being quite a diverse lineup throughout the week. Where we come in is we see where they’re at, and how we can get them to where they need to be. When they need any guidance, we’re here.

For a lot of the artists, Saturday [the showcase day] can seem like doomsday, but we just have to remind them that everything’s going to be alright; the nerves, the uncertainty, it’s all part of the process. The truth is that even on the day of the performance it’s still a work in progress. I always say there’s ‘Phase 1’, and it’s completely up to you how many phases you want to go through. There is no rush to finish great work.

Open Art Surgery participants Harvey Burke, Sekou Diaby and Mollie Stebbing.

How would you describe your approach to working with the artists?  

The thing that’s amazing about Open Art Surgery is that there are different mentors for different needs and wants. I like to approach the work when there is something to look at. Aesthetic and design – those are the things I love to discover and seek out.  Then you have Anthony [Ekundayo Lennon, another mentor] who deals more with the drama and conflict. Jonzi [mentor and Artistic Director of Breakin’ Convention] obviously has multiple skills. We now have new mentors joining, who are also bringing new areas of expertise.

Open Art Surgery participants Helena Kate Amor and Ellen Wolf of dance and design duo Moving Mountains.

My approach is quite simple. I don’t like influencing the artists too early. I want to see where they’re at and what they’re saying for themselves, and then penetrate the layers. I’m not trying to make the layers for them. Each time I do it, it’s a thing where I come in as ‘bad cop’ – I think you need the mentor who is gonna be a little bit harder. That’s what helped me progress as an artist. We don’t wrap anyone in cotton wool because in our eyes, everyone is the same. Everyone is equal.

What are the ingredients for a strong piece or performance?

Technique is important. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the obvious technique we know sits in that particular style. For me, it’s more about skill. How sharp is your pencil? That’s what’s really interesting to me.

Open Art Surgery participants Frankie Johnson and Toyin Sogunro.

I think performance is equally important. How much are you willing to go and discover? How much are you willing to excavate a character? Performance can be seen as one-dimensional, but as human beings we have many different flavours within us. I personally get excited when I see more of an emotional journey in a performance.

Another thing I always say to the artists is to “make it lit”. What I mean by that is this X factor, this thing that isn’t explainable, that makes the piece go above and beyond. The more you make and explore as an artist, the more you start to find that thing, that language. Sometimes I don’t even need technique – I just need you to be within the work and show me how you can tell this story by being raw as hell. The way you execute a strong performance is finding a way to incorporate all of these things into one. That’s what’s really going to tickle my chakras (laughs).

Open Art Surgery participants Frankie Johnson and Toyin Sogunro.

Is there anything in particular that you’d like to see brought out of the artists and their work this year? 

Confidence. As artists, we all have self-doubt. Sometimes we don’t believe in our work or believe that it’s good enough. It can be quite lonely. As a mentee on the programme, you’re not by yourself. Likewise, as mentors, we’re not telling them what to do. We’re saying: “Let’s find a way to take the idea out of your head and action it.” Write it on paper. Record your voice. Record a phrase. Whatever it takes. It’s about putting your concept or your idea in different parts of your being, beyond the cerebral. When I’ve seen artists open themselves up to the process and start to build something, I’ve watched their confidence grow as a result, because they start to see their work from all these different angles.

Open Art Surgery participant Lionel ‘Mcjiver’ Joseph (L) and mentor Jonzi D.

What are the best aspects of being a mentor?

With Open Art Surgery, so many different types of artists walk through that door. Hearing all of their stories and perspectives and seeing how they approach and grow from those stories. Or seeing people who have never done hip hop theatre before, coming out of the process like “this is what I want to do.” Or someone who might be autistic, who never really had an opportunity to say how they feel or the platform to express themselves. This is why I do it. It humbles you: you realise that it’s not about you, it’s about them. Working on projects like this helps me look at the world differently, you know? By the end of it, I’m so chuffed and pleased for everyone.

Open Art Surgery participant Lionel ‘Mcjiver’ Joseph.

What, if any, are the challenges?

Making sure I have enough tools and using them wisely to help an artist. Sometimes an artist might need help in an area, and you don’t really have an idea of how to approach that task in that moment. Also, I’d say knowing how to problem solve both inside and outside the room. As mentors, our brains are still ticking over, long after a session finishes. We’re trying to figure out how we ease the artists’ process. What’s really interesting and fun is that we’re all going on a journey. There’s much learning and community in that process.

Open Art Surgery participant Shay D.

How do you see the relationship between hip hop and theatre?

Hip hop and theatre – the relationship has always been there. You see it in old school movies like Breakin’ – at the end of it, it’s a theatre show. You’ll find that most of the newer dance films end in a full theatrical production. You can see the lineage throughout the eras, from jazz to the Harlem Renaissance. There is no debate. Personally, in my work, I like to give people the energy of hip hop and street culture, because I think both are very exciting. There’s something that hip hop does – I call it ‘edutainment’ [education and entertainment]. It’s exciting, it’s new, it’s fresh, but it’s also saying something.

Open Art Surgery participants (L to R) Amona Venice, Shirley Ahura and Mike Igbins, members of dance collective The Archetype.

Why are artist development programmes like Open Art Surgery important to hip hop in particular?

Not everyone from the hip hop dance realm wants to battle, or dance behind an artist. For most hip hop artists, our first port of call is to make a little show. It’s really important because we don’t have any conservatoires or vocational schools for hip hop. When I started out as a professional theatre maker, doing Back to The Lab [another artist development course delivered by the Breakin’ Convention team] and Open Art Surgery was the best thing for me. I got to schedule my own time, meet some great people and bring mentors into the process with me who understood my vision, ideas and helped me get to the next level.

Mentor Ivan Blackstock (centre) with mentees during an Open Art Surgery workshop.

That’s another great thing with Breakin’ Convention: once you become involved in their events and projects, you become part of the family. Then you realise that the family is a lot wider; they’re connected to the battle scene still, they’re connected to theatre, advertising and TV. You can take all the skills and ideas from the programme and transfer them to other areas.

Open Art Surgery is for people that are interested in going down the long-term route. With hip hop dancers, we’re in a constant rush: you only have a space for two hours, or you don’t have a space, so you’re doing a quick session in the street before it rains. This is an opportunity to experience an actual creative process.

Open Art Surgery participants Mike Igbins (L) and Pav Rai, members of dance collective The Archetype.

How would you describe Open Art Surgery, both the process and the final sharing, in three words?

Thought provoking. Insightful. Raw.

Header image: Owen Ling

Images throughout: Dave Barros

Breakin’ Convention is an integral part of Sadler’s Wells’ artistic programme. Open Art Surgery launches its first-ever programme in Wales in collaboration with Avant Cymru, which takes place in Wrexham on 10-14 February. Find more information here.

SADLER’S WELLS ENGAGES YOUNG PEOPLE IN DANCE WITH FREE SUMMER SCHOOLS

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We believe dance has a vital and transformative role to play in education. It improves children and young people’s mental and physical wellbeing, including by inspiring creativity, boosting self-confidence, increasing self-awareness and developing discipline, communication and team-working skills.

As part of our work to embed dance in young people’s lives, Sadler’s Wells recently ran a summer school with the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC), and delivered dance workshops at the East Education Summer School. Both projects were designed to offer memorable and inspiring opportunities for children and young people to experience and engage with dance.

This International Youth Day, we find out more about the summer activities from the young participants themselves.

Summer School with NYDC

From 29 July to 9 August, we offered 19 students from seven of our Associate Schools in Islington, Newham and Tower Hamlets the chance to experience a ‘week in the life of’ NYDC and its current Guest Artistic Director Botis Seva, with bespoke workshops led by members of his company Far From the Norm.

Summer School with NYDC highlight video.

At the beginning of the week, a young participant interviewed Associate Choreographer Jordan Douglas, shining a light on his approach to teaching and take on the role of dance in empowering young people.

How do you prepare the young people for the week? Can you describe your approach?

“I start by teaching the students some of the basics of house dance, so we look at groove and footwork. As there is a mixed level of ability in a class, being able to have an adaptable framework is very important in order to get the most out of a session. During the workshop, one of my top priorities is getting the young dancers to interact with each other. This way, you’re creating an environment that is a safe space, which allows the students to feel confident no matter what the challenge is.”

NYDC Summer School participants with NYDC alumna Joshua Attwood.

How does dance educate, inspire and empower young people?

“The feeling of learning something new, of working on it, watching it improve and then being able to perform it, is a great one. This, as well as the freedom to express yourself through dance, is very empowering. The creativity within dance can really offer a much-needed break from their standard school subjects and daily activities.”

NYDC Summer School participants with Associate Choreographer Jordan Douglas.

Why is dance a useful form of expression for young people to explore?

“The medium of street dance is a lot more connected to youth. Street dance is easily accessible: it’s online, in music videos and at the forefront of fashion. Being able to share a common language takes us one step further to being able to help young people open up to dance.”

NYDC Summer School participants.

East Education Summer School

During a free, two-week programme held at Here East in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, young east Londoners were given the opportunity to take part in a host of activities and classes delivered by world-leading organisations. These included the six institutions that will be part of East Bank, a new cultural and education district being developed in the park: Sadler’s Wells, the BBC, UAL’s London College of Fashion, UCL and the V&A in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution.

Young participants during African dance workshop with workshop leader Miles Ncube. Image: Rahil Ahmed.

As part of the summer school, Sadler’s Wells hosted workshops in African dance, led by our Learning & Engagement team, and in rap, grime, music, theatre skills and dramaturgy, led by our Breakin’ Convention team. An evening trip was also arranged during the week for the young participants to enjoy Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet, a new production performed by our Resident Company New Adventures. 

Young participants during African dance workshop. Image: Rahil Ahmed.

Young participants during Breakin’ Convention workshop with workshop leader Theo ‘Godson’ Oloyade. Image: Rahil Ahmed.

We asked some of the participants from Breakin’ Convention’s hip hop theatre workshop to share some of their highlights from the programme.

What was your favourite part of the workshop?

“Showcasing what I’ve got!”

Young participants (Breakin’ Convention workshop) performing at East Education Summer School showcase. Image: Rahil Ahmed.

“Having a good time.”

Young participants (Breakin’ Convention workshop) performing at East Education Summer School showcase. Image: Rahil Ahmed.

“Meeting new people.”

“Spitting some hard bars!”

Young participants (Breakin’ Convention workshop) performing at East Education Summer School showcase. Image: Rahil Ahmed.

“Learning new things.”

“Destroying the stage.”

Young participants (Breakin’ Convention workshop) performing at East Education Summer School showcase. Image: Rahil Ahmed.

“Embracing ourselves.”

Young participants from Breakin’ Convention’s hip hop theatre workshop with mentors
Education Coordinator Shay D (left), Capo Lee (bottom) and Yomi Sode (right). Image: Theo ‘Godson’ Oloyade

National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) is supported using public funding by the Department for Education and Arts Council England.

BREAKIN’ CONVENTION TO STRENGTHEN HIP HOP SECTOR WITH NATIONAL PROGRAMME

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Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention is set to deliver a three-year national programme to strengthen the hip hop sector thanks to a grant from Arts Council England.

Sadler’s Wells has been awarded £630,660 as part of the Arts Council’s National Lottery Project Grants funding programme. Using this funding, our Breakin’ Convention team will continue to build on the learnings and legacy of 16 years of successful hip hop theatre development with an ambitious new programme, Breakin’ Out.

Breakin’ Out will encompass three distinct and connected strands: Grass Routes partnerships, artist development and performance.

Grass Routes partnerships

This will see a new area of engagement for Breakin’ Convention. The programme will reinforce the national hip hop network by fostering relationships between hip hop artists and cultural institutions. Joining forces with six national practitioners – two each year – Breakin’ Out will deliver high-quality training at a local level, including youth projects, masterclasses and teacher training, as well as providing mentorship in organisational development. The first year partners will be with Dance4All in Bournemouth and Bad Taste Cru in Gateshead.

Breakin’ Convention Park Jam. Image: Paul Hampartsoumian

Artist Development

With no formalised training currently existing for hip hop artists in the UK, Breakin’ Out will provide a variety of progression routes at different points in their artistic journeys, giving more people access to hip hop at entry level and forging pathways into the sector. Breakin’ Convention will deliver its successful Open Art Surgery professional development project around the country, offering participants the opportunity to learn under different mentors and perform locally and nationally. Artists will also be offered bespoke ‘Higher Learning’ training days, focused on theatre practice.

Open Art Surgery. Image: Owen Ling

Nurturing the development of artists represents an integral part of the programme in the lead up to the opening of the UK’s first hip hop theatre academy, part of Sadler’s Wells’ additional, mid-scale venue to open in east London in 2022. The new theatre will be part of new cultural and education district East Bank, in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Performances

Breakin’ Out will reach out to wide and diverse audiences through two large-scale Breakin’ Convention national tours, engaging over 1000 UK artists and featuring 34 national performances. The festival will tour to cities including Norwich, Blackpool, Sheffield, Doncaster, Canterbury, Brighton, Plymouth, Poole and Birmingham in spring 2020 and 2022.  

Phase T (France) at Breakin’ Convention 2010. Image: Belinda Lawley

Alistair Spalding, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Sadler’s Wells, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that, through the Arts Council’s support, over the next three years the programme will engage over a thousand artists and large audiences across the country, strengthening the UK infrastructure for hip hop and widening its reach.”

Jonzi D, Sadler’s Wells’ Associate Artist and artistic director of Breakin’ Convention, commented: “Breakin’ Convention has been a catalyst in the exposure and development of hip hop in the theatre. A hunger from artists and audiences has been created! We have a responsibility to continue supporting hip hop culture and this funding will enable us to strengthen the sector, and to prepare for the opening of Sadler’s Wells’ hip hop theatre academy in 2022.”

Breakin’ Convention Presents

Yaman Okur 1mm Au Dessus Du Sol. Image: Ragbui

After introducing audiences to the work of artist Pierre Rigale by presenting his work Scandale in 2018, Breakin’ Convention Presents returns with 1mm Au Dessus Du Sol (1mm above the floor), a collaboration between French choreographers Yaman Okur and Sébastien Lefrançois.

Curated by Sadler’s Wells’ Associate Artist Jonzi D, the initiative provides a platform for the finest hip hop theatre makers to showcase a full-length work on our stage, as well as welcoming creations by contemporary choreographers working with street dance forms. Breakin’ Convention Presents: Yaman Okur and Jean-Philippe Collard-Neven’s 1mm Au Dessus Du Sol is at Sadler’s Wells’ Lilian Baylis Studio on 27 and 28 September 2019.

“We break down the fourth wall. It’s the true hip hop experience.” Breakin’ Convention: The story so far

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Breakin’ Convention is the UK’s biggest festival of hip hop dance theatre. World-renowned for representing the origins and evolution of hip hop culture from around the world, it is one of the most prestigious platforms for dance theatre globally. True to form, this year’s festival at Sadler’s Wells promises a lineup of exceptional dance talent from the UK and beyond, with international companies hailing from around the globe.

We speak to Michelle, Head of Breakin’ Convention, about the festival’s genesis, its evolution and what audiences can expect from its 16th year.

What is the meaning behind Breakin’ Convention?

The name is something a lot of people get confused with, because hearing it they think of a breaking competition or that you’ll just see breaking performances. The name Breakin’ Convention actually comes from the aim to break convention – of what people think hip hop culture is and of what you’re used to seeing in the theatre. It’s breaking conceptions about the conventional way you see hip hop – at a convention (laughs).

Michelle Norton, Head of Breakin’ Convention. Image: Dave Barros

How would you describe the Breakin’ Convention experience?

The festival encompasses all of the elements of hip hop. We commission artists to create graffiti on the walls of Sadler’s Wells. You have DJs, and not only that but the original DMC champions like Cutmaster Swift, DJ Billy Bizznizz, DJ 279 – some of the biggest names when we think of London hip hop culture. We have cyphers in the foyer, rap and freestylers in our front-of-house spaces, we even have a special menu for the occasion – lots of jerk chicken, soul food and West Indian cuisine.

You get to see the best of the UK and the international hip hop scene, so it’s everyone coming together. We break down the fourth wall; the artists come into the foyer and mingle with everyone. It’s the true hip hop experience.


Breakin’ Convention 2018 – 15th Anniversary Highlights

It’s also open for all. As much as the idea behind the festival was to bring in hip hop audiences and let them know that theatre is for them, it makes people that wouldn’t usually be into hip hop see that hip hop is for them too. There are no barriers. It makes everyone feel welcome and comfortable.

You’ve worked your way up from festival volunteer to projects coordinator, to finally heading the Breakin’ Convention team. What are some of the personal highlights of your career?

When we started touring internationally in 2013 and brought the festival to the Harlem Apollo – that was a major highlight! There have been quite a few. I’d say the global effect of our work, but also the development of the UK hip hop scene and of our artists, especially in theatre.

The festival is one thing, without it we probably wouldn’t have been able to create the platforms for professional development that we now have, and to develop the kind of work we’re now developing within hip hop in the UK and internationally. I think over the years it’s been seeing the development of the scene in the UK and how it’s grown, and how a lot of these artists are now on the same level as the international ones, which wasn’t the case when we first started.

What is it like to run the festival?

I’ve been here since the very beginning. I volunteered for the first festival back in 2004 and knew Jonzi [Breakin Convention’s Artistic Director] from way before, since we were in our teens. I grew up in the 80s when hip hop first got big in the UK, and it’s the same feeling now as it was then – the feeling of wanting to be part of it all. I remember walking in the building on the Tuesday after the festival, and almost feeling like I’ve come off a high!

Jonzi D, founder & Artistic Director of Breakin’ Convention

As Mufasa [French hip hop dancer] said last year after her debut performance at the festival, ‘you just feel love’. You’re in the building and that’s what you feel, from the Wednesday when you see the graffiti being put up on the walls, to the next day when the companies start coming in for their tech runs. It feels like a family within our team, but also within the wider context of hip hop.

Michelle (right) pictured with Breakin’ Convention’s Education Coordinator Shay Rafati. Image: Dave Barros

How do you keep Breakin’ Convention feeling fresh and exciting from year to year?

It’s different every single year. There’s a blueprint of course, but with every single year we’re constantly thinking: ‘How can we top that?’ For our 10th anniversary in 2013, we commissioned 10 UK artists: the whole night was dedicated to just UK artists on the main stage. Last year, we had a 15-piece orchestra as part of a new piece marking our 15th anniversary. We are already looking at how to top that for our 20th.

Breakin’ Convention 2019 promotional poster

We try and make sure there’s something for everyone. We look at the programme every year and ask ‘Have we got something for the older generation? What’s something that’s a little more innovative? Are we representing enough females? Are we representing rawness? Are we representing more of the theatrical, the artistic?’ We try and do things organically, so that we’re not dictating what the scene has to have – it’s more a case of what is needed and what is wanted.

What in your opinion is needed in the scene? How has Breakin’ Convention facilitated that?  

Hip hop artists don’t have the same kind of opportunities as ballet and contemporary dancers – there are no hip hop conservatoires. You can’t go to a school where you can learn and study hip hop in that sense. So doing things like our artist development programmes Open Art Surgery and Back to the Lab means that artists are not only able to develop their craft, but they’re also learning how to direct their pieces, they’re looking at lighting -all of those things they don’t usually have the privilege of doing.

Back To The Lab: A hip hop choreographer’s course

We need to develop our artists to be on the same level playing field, and so the professional development side of Breakin’ Convention has really started to grow. It’s nice that within Sadler’s Wells on the whole, we’re working with a lot more hip hop artists. It’s a real pleasure to work with the artists we work with. Professional development and education are the things we’re really pushing now. Looking towards the hip hop theatre academy that Sadler’s Wells will establish as part of our new venue in east London in 2022, it’s definitely about incorporating those things.

Something that Jonzi always says is that we’re at an advantage, in that even though hip hop has been going for 40 odd years now, we still have living legends. In 2008, we started doing training with the legends of hip hop under what we called the Pioneers project. The fact that we can invite people down to a workshop with Popin’ Pete [one of the originators of the “popping” dance style and member of the Electric Boogaloos], for instance, is something that you can’t always do in other, more classical dance styles.

Popin’ Pete: Harlem Funk Renaissance

What does Breakin’ Convention have in store for our audiences this year? What can we expect?

The best from around the world and around the corner – just like our slogan says! On the international front, everyone we have apart from B-Boy Junior [world-renowned Congolese break dancer] is quite new to the Breakin’ Convention stage. We’ve got Jinjo, a crew from South Korea who are B-boy champions, and France’s Geometrie Variable. We’ve got someone like Logistx, a B-Girl from California who is 16, so very much the new generation.

B-Boy Junior Bosila and Kalli Tarasidou will appear as duo Company Même Pas Mal at Breakin’ Convention 2019. Image: Christian Schneider

And then even on the UK front, we’ve got an influx of new companies on the stage like The Archetype and Cocojam. Boy Blue is one of the regulars, having performed at the festival almost every year. We have some familiar faces performing in a new capacity at Breakin’ Convention such as Fiya House, a collective consisting of founders Brooke Milliner and Dickson Mbi. It’s all very fresh and really exciting.

If you could choose a word that captures the essence of the festival, what would it be?

Sensory. There’s just something about the senses – all of them are aroused. There’s music, there’s the smell of different foods, there’s the energy of the people coming in. The building just comes alive. I always tell people that no matter how much you can describe it or watch a Breakin’ Convention video, you have to be there to experience it yourself. When you come to the festival, how you then experience it, and sit in it… it’s different, you know? It’s a sensory experience.

Breakin’ Convention will take place at Sadler’s Wells on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th May 2019. Tickets are available here.

Image by John Moore Theatre

Breakin’ Convention takes over Denver for a weekend of hip hop dance theatre

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Breakin’ Convention returned to Denver this month with a festival that celebrated hip-hop culture and showcased both world-class, international acts and local street dance companies.

The festival took over the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) for the second consecutive year on 2-4 November, in conjunction with #DenverArtsWeek. Around 5,000 people enjoyed performances and free activities over the weekend. The lineup featured Dutch b-boy crew The Ruggeds, UK’s BirdGang Dance Company with Vice, a piece on addiction, French dancer Antoinette Gomis, whose solo honoured the beauty of black culture, a comic duet by Sample Culture (also from The Netherlands), and Los Angeles-based popping trio Femme Fatale. All received standing ovations from the crowd.

Image by John Moore

The Ruggeds in Adrenaline The Show. Image: John Moore

Image by John Moore

Femme Fatale performing at DCPA. Image: John Moore

Image by John Moore

The Bboy Factory at DCPA. Image: John Moore

Image by John Moore

Antoinette Gomis in IMAGES. Image: John Moore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sadler’s Wells’ Associate Artist and Breakin’ Convention’s Artistic Director Jonzi D curated and hosted the show, stressing the importance of creating an organic environment for hip-hop culture to flourish, a space where both local and international acts come together. Sharing his vision, General Manager of the DCPA’s Broadway division Alicia Bruce recognised that the festival “is not just about dance from around the world. It’s also about dance from around the corner”.


Jonzi D in conversation with DCPA Senior Arts Journalist John Moore

Local acts included Block 1750, Chase Evered, Whole Milk, Breaking Barriers, The Freak Show, Love Es Love, Side by Side and B-Boy Factory, who also performed at the student matinee on Friday, which attracted an audience of 2,500 pupils.

A highlight was the 303 Free Jam, which kick-started the festival with a rich programme of dance workshops, graffiti, MCs, DJs and impromptu dance sessions delivered by Breakin’ Convention in collaboration with the headline artists.

“Considering that we don’t always have the opportunity to move the way we want, we really wanted to take advantage of this,” said Abner Genece, who took his son Jaden to the 303 Free Jam. “It fills me with joy to see him out there expressing himself. It’s amazing really to have the exposure to artists from all over the world, not only visually but movement-wise, music, vocally. To be able to expose him to all these different kinds of influences is great, and show him there’s a whole world out there right here in Denver.”

Image by John Moore

Mastering the steps with Ivan the Urban Action Figure. Image: John Moore

Image by Emma Ponsford

Young attendees wearing Breakin’ Convention’s merch. Image: Emma Ponsford

Image by John Moore

Graffiti workshop. Image: John Moore

Image by John Moore

Antoinette Gomis’ free Sample Session workshop. Image: John Moore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information on upcoming events and activities, visit www.breakinconvention.com/

Header image: John Moore

Young artists bring hip-hop lyrics to life

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This weekend was the culmination of Graffical, a project run by our Breakin’ Convention team and funded by Islington Council’s Summerversity programme. For four days, participants aged between 13 and 21 had explored different aspects of hip-hop lyricism aided by three mentors: the poet and art educator Poetcurious, the rapper Reveal and the graffiti artist Mr. Dane. At a local youth facility, Soapbox Islington, they wrote their own lyrics and brought them to life via the medium of visual art; using paint, markers and POSCA pens. (Since they first entered the market in 1983, POSCA paint pens have had a formative role in the cultural history of urban art and are still revered in the graffiti community and wider visual arts today). 

On Sunday, their creations were exhibited at Sadler’s Wells. The art they produced represents their lived experiences and candidly reflects how these young people navigate their social environments. The participants had never met or worked together previously, and the result was outstanding. The Graffical project struck a chord both with members of the public and the participants themselves. Zion, 13, said of his mentors Poetcurious, Reveal and Mr. Dane, “I wish my art teachers were like you”. Brian, 17, said he would definitely use the opportunity to do take part in a similar project in the future.

Sadler’s Wells recognises that the most effective way to produce great art is to allow artists to create work on their own terms – a particular forte of the youth outreach programme run by Breakin’ Convention. When artists are given the freedom and the opportunity, their creativity can shine.

For more Breakin’ Convention youth projects, follow their Instagram @BreakinConventionYP.

Photo credit: Shay Rafati.