FESTIVAL OF HIP HOP DANCE THEATRE FEATURING LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES

An unmissable date in the annual hip hop calendar, Breakin’ Convention returns to its Sadler’s Wells home for its 17th anniversary on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May

TICKETS: www.sadlerswells.com

This influential festival of hip hop dance theatre features unparalleled line-ups of both local and international performances, curated by UK hip hop theatre legend, Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist and Breakin’ Convention Artistic Director, Jonzi D. Offstage, Sadler’s Wells is transformed to feature dance workshops, graffiti, DJs and freestyle sessions spilling out all over the building.

Showcasing local talent alongside global sensations, international artists on the line-up include South Korea’s gravity-defying Jinjo Crew – the first to achieve Grand Slam status after five major international wins – and French hip hop company Géométrie Variable, who explore the popping technique of tutting with a style resembling the inner mechanics of a timepiece.

UK-based acts include Spoken Movement, led by Artistic Director Kwame Asafo-Adjei, following a performance of Family Honour at Dance Élargie: Dance Expanded at Sadler’s Wells in October 2019. In 2018, the piece won first prize at Dance Élargie in Paris, following wins at the Rotterdam International Duet Choreography Competition (RIDCC) and the Copenhagen International Choreography Competition earlier this year.

Of the line-up so far, Jonzi D comments:

“We’re extremely excited to be inviting Jinjo Crew, Géométrie Variable and Spoken Movement back to Sadler’s Wells and on tour with us this year.

“Jinjo Crew’s members have won every major breaking competition in the world, including the UK B-Boy Championships. Expect jaw-dropping power moves and inventive combinations, such as using tracksuits as skipping ropes.”

“Géométrie Variable integrates impressive clarity of form into tutting technique. Angular gestures, slot, slide, fold and open to reveal a myriad of 2D shapes. Like swans paddling under calm waters, the dancers’ bodies reveal the intricacies and engine behind the choreography’s kaleidoscopic result.

“Spoken Movement’s Kwame Asafo-Adjei uses popping and krump vocabulary in narratives that trace his Ghanaian roots, exploring environmental issues, and themes of family and race. His choreography has developed into something potent and unflinching.”

Following the festival at Sadler’s Wells, Breakin’ Convention tours the UK, taking in venues from Plymouth to South Shields (see full dates and locations below). The festival has previously toured globally; in 2017 alone, it presented a total of 32 shows in 16 cities, visiting venues including the Harlem Apollo and The Sony Centre, Toronto.

From 8 – 11 July 2020, Breakin’ Convention Presents – the programme’s full-length performance platform for the most innovative hip hop artists working today – makes its first visit to Sadler’s Wells’ West End venue, The Peacock, with b-boy company The Ruggeds’ Between Us.

LISTINGS

Breakin’ Convention 2020
International Festival of Hip Hop Dance Theatre

Venue

Sadler’s Wells & Lilian Baylis Studio, EC1R

Performance Dates

Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 May 2020
6pm (doors at 4pm)

Ticket Prices

£25 – £40
(£18 concessions)
£15 standing

Ticket Office

www.sadlerswells.com I 0207 863 8000

All main stage performances BSL interpreted

Jonzi D is a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist