Saturday 2nd - Sunday 3rd May



 

Breakin’ Convention 2026

The world’s leading festival of hip hop theatre is back bringing together the energy, creativity and innovation that defines the culture.

From the underground to the main stage, expect boundary-pushing performances,
powerful storytelling and unforgettable moments!

Across the weekend there's so much to do in and around the venue,
all included in the price of your festival ticket!


Artist


Rock Force Crew (USA)

Rock Force Crew, formed in California in 1983, is a long‑standing, respected U.S. breakdance crew known for raw power, originality, and a battle mindset. Their West Coast style stays true to the culture’s original principles.

Compagnia Bellanda (Italy)

Compagnia Bellanda, officially born in 2018, is an Italian dance company, directed by a vision that arises from breaking and hiphop culture, which aims to find hybrid languages, movements rich in meaning communicated through technique.

Ekleido (UK)

Ekleido is a choreographic duo formed by Hannah Ekholm and Faye Stoeser, recognised for creating dynamic work across live performance and film, and embrace multidisciplinary collaboration, working closely with leading figures in the electronic music scene.


Let It Happen (NL)

Let It Happen are a Hip Hop dynamic dance trio from the Netherlands, made up of sisters Norah, Yarah and Rosa. Known for their infectious energy and natural musicality, the group have built an international following through their expressive performances and viral dance videos.

Lanre (UK)

Lanre Malaolu is an Olivier-nominated writer, director and choreographer working across theatre and film. His work fuses movement and text to explore identity, belonging, and healing. His stage production Now, I See was Olivier-nominated in 2025, and Samskara (The Yard Theatre) was published by Nick Hern Books.

Y.O.U Company (UK)

Your Own Understanding (Y.O.U) is a artist development programme created and led by Jordan Franklin, through regular sessions and training the company was formed of students of the programme in order to create powerful hip hop theatre work. A new but very passionate company of unique artists.


Marie Kaae (DK)

Marie Kaae (she/her) is a Danish-Kurdish-Cameroonian choreographer and dancer with more than 30 years of experience at the performing arts scene and 20 years of specialization in house dance. She is renowned internationally as a performing artist as well as in the subculture, and her work evolves around the relation between music and dance as essential, and subjects concerned with authenticity, truth and soul.

Mikee Trice (UK)

Mikee Trice is a movement artist from East London working within hip-hop theatre. Originally self-taught, he spent 10 years developing a movement language rooted in freestyle, shaping a proficiency in musicality, texture and individuality. He has since stepped into the UK dance scene, quickly establishing himself through his drive and developing artistry

AS Compagnie (FR)

Andrège Bidiamambu and Seren Kano, have been collaborating for several years. Both dancers, and specialists in Locking (funk hip-hop dance), they met in 2016 in Sweden on the occasion of a festival dedicated to Locking. Following this meeting, they had the desire to continue exchanging, practicing together in training sessions, competitions (battles) in France and internationally. Motivated by the desire to go further in this exchange, they founded in 2024, the company AS based in Rennes (France) and created their first piece.


Gary Clarke (UK)

Gary Clarke is a movement artist from East London working across Hip Hop Theatre and freestyle spaces. Rooted in KRUMP, a form he has practiced for over eight years, his movement also draws from the nuances of hip-hop social dances, creating a dynamic and expressive physical language.

He has competed at a high level and, in 2019, co-founded the Birmingham-based collective UPG, which champions identity and raw creativity. These values continue to shape his work as he explores individuality and expression through movement.

 

I.M.D Legion (UK)

IMD Legion is a London-based dance company and youth movement dedicated to developing the next generation of performers, creatives, and leaders. Built on a foundation of discipline, creativity, and community, IMD provides high-level training in street dance styles while creating opportunities for young people to perform, compete, and grow both on and off the stage.

With a strong track record of producing champions, industry professionals, and powerful productions, IMD Legion is more than a dance group it’s a family and a platform for young people to express themselves, build confidence, and reach their full potential.



 

Graffiti Artist

 

.EPOD is a UK-based street artist known for his rich fusion of graffiti, futurism, and fine art. His work is deeply rooted in the visual culture of his youth, drawing inspiration from hip-hop, retro sci-fi films, and the polished pages of 1970s Vogue magazines. His early days as a graffiti writer under the name "DOPE" evolved into the moniker .EPOD, reflecting a shift toward a more nuanced, stylized aesthetic.

His murals are characterized by ethereal figures, industrial textures, and a stylized color palette that bridges the old masters with modern culture.

.EPOD’s practice lives at the intersection of street culture and fine art, making his work a unique and timeless presence on city streets.

SNATCH is a well-known graffiti artist from London, and a member of the legendary PFB crew.

He is also part of The Others, alongside Zaki Dee and Epod. He started writing graffiti in the mid 80's, and over the years his unique styles and versatility have influenced many writers throughout the country.

Parallel to his graffiti, he's also had an extensive and successful career as a DJ and producer - but that's another story...

Zaki, born and raised in London, began writing graffiti in 1982 and founded The Trailblazers (TB’s) in 1983. Initially working alone across West London, he was soon joined by other artists including Eskimo, Zerox, Mode II, Scribla, and Artful Dodger. In 1985, he co-founded The Chrome Angelz (TCA), a crew that became central to the UK hip-hop graffiti scene, producing iconic works in Covent Garden and even painting in Paris. Their influence was cemented when they were featured in the influential 1987 book Spraycan Art.

By the late 1980s, Zaki shifted toward music, becoming a DJ and producer in the emerging UK house scene while working at key record shops in London. Alongside Rob Mello, he released well-regarded records as Disco Elements and later co-founded the label Luxury Service Records. In recent years, Zaki has returned to visual art, painting graffiti around London, forming a new crew called The Others, and creating oil self-portraits exhibited in Soho in 2012.

 

Schedules