Breakin' Convention
This is the first year that Breakin Convention has left London to tour the UK, and it will tour to Newcastle, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Northampton, Wycombe, Brighton, Sheffield and Nottingham. Each venue will host local acts from their area as well as three international companies
The Artistic Director of Breakin Convention, Jonzi D, has been making hip hop theatre since the early 1990s. He was the only artist creating theatre of this type in the UK, and used rap and various street techniques. It was during Lyrikal Fearta's 1995 international tour of that he got his inspiration for an international Hip Hop dance theatre festival, having seen B-boys, poppers and emcees creating work for a new generation of theatre goers.
In Spring 2004, Jonzi was asked to programme London's first Hip Hop dance theatre festival at Sadlers Wells, and since then, he has put Sadlers Wells on the map as THE venue for a globally recognised hip hop festival. Three years on, Breakin' Convention has grown from a two day event to a full tour.
BC07 will come to the Edinburgh Festival on 11 and 12 May, bringing the very best in national and international dance artists. The line up includes the legendary Electric Boogaloos (USA), originators of Hip Hop dance styles 'popping' and 'boogaloo', the inventive Frank Ejara (Brazil) and Frank II Louise (France). Local acts will include Indie B Jewels and The Flying Jalapenos, Rhythm Inc and Etch & Sketch and Transendance. There will also be workshops and freestyling sessions.
Dance Base, the National Centre for Dance, is hosting two workshops with The Electric Boogaloos and Jonzi D on 12 and 13 May respectively.
Breakin' Convention is the first festival of its kind in the UK that gathers the world's finest poppers, lockers and breakers for a truly unique celebration - don't miss out!
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