HISTORY


Jonzi D, Artistic Director of Breakin' Convention, has been making Hip Hop Theatre since the early nineties. Using the DJ, rap and various street dance techniques to explore theatrical ideas within the proscenium arch, he was the only artist creating this type of theatre in the UK at the time.

During an international tour of Lyrikal Fearta in 1995, Jonzi became exposed to a wider Hip Hop theatre community. In festivals from New York to Paris, Amsterdam to Helsinki; B-boys, poppers and emcees were creating work for a new generation of theatre goers.

Inspired by what he'd seen, Jonzi approached Alistair Spalding (then Head of Dance and Performance at the South Bank Centre) with the suggestion - "How about an international Hip Hop dance theatre festival?" When Alistair moved to Sadler's Wells - London's leading venue for dance - to become Director of Programming, this idea became a reality. In Spring 2004, he asked Jonzi to program London's first Hip Hop dance theatre festival.

Alistair was completely open to radical suggestions, like bombing the whole building with graffiti art, DJ's playing breakbeats in the mezzanine area, rice 'n' peas with Jerk chicken at the bar, and local, non-professional companies sharing the stage with world renowned pioneering acts like The Electric Boogaloos.

The ambiguity of the name Breakin' Convention reflected the ambitions of the project. It was important that the event related to the Hip Hop community, as well as stimulating the interest of the existing Sadler's Wells audience.

With his experience of this theatrical genre, as well as the respect gained within the local and international Hip Hop community, Jonzi was able to help put Sadler's Wells on the map as THE venue for a globally recognised Hip Hop Dance event. Truly breaking the convention.

BC04 was a resounding success - far exceeding all expectation. The two day event sold out all 3600 tickets to an audience ranging from 3 year olds to 83 year olds. The foyers were filled with people popping and breakin' to Tha En4cers turntablism. The auditorium was packed to the rafters with an audience eagerly awaiting the incredible line up of over 250 street-dancers from Camden to Korea.

Each year the festival builds on these strengths and now, in it's 5th year, Breakin' Convention is acknowledged by the worldwide Hip Hop scene as an event not to be missed.