Meet The Breakin’ Convention Team
Breakin' Convention's work is made possible thanks to a dedicated team of talented individuals. Together, our backgrounds and expertise continue to push frontiers, create new opportunities, and advocate for the future of hip hop theatre in the UK and beyond.
Jonzi D
Artistic Director
Artistic Director Jonzi D is the founder, ambassador, mentor, host and driving force behind Breakin' Convention.
He shapes every aspect of our work with his creative input, from curating our festival and events to steering our education and professional development programmes.
Shay Rafati
Learning Projects Manager
Shay D is a rapper, poet and event promoter who has been providing a platform for artist for over a decade. Working with the leading practitioners in the field of hip hop education, Shay is at the forefront of Breakin’ Convention’s push for developing the confidence and skills of young people and accrediting hip hop theatre as a recognised qualification, working towards our hip hop academy.
As an artist, Shay D champions women in music and works actively in balancing out the female voice in rap music.
Lisa Parkes
Tour Producer
Lisa comes to Breakin' Convention with over 15 years' experience in arts and entertainment, with a background in dance touring, producing and festival management. She is passionate about accessible art and the power it holds to both challenge and support social change and help influence the world we want to see.
Michelle Norton
Director
Michelle’s career at Breakin’ Convention began at the very first edition in 2004. With a background in performance and arts management, Michelle progressed from Festival Volunteer to Projects Coordinator, to her current role as Director - leading the organisation. Michelle is the embodiment of Breakin’ Convention, having worked the festival inside and out from its genesis.
michelle@breakinconvention.com
Contact Michelle for:
Productions
Collaborations
London festival
Artist performance enquiries
Yassmine Akesbi
Trainee
Yassmine has worked across retail and corporate roles, but she has always returned to her love for dance, music, poetry, and the arts. Growing up in a Moroccan and Colombian household, music and movement were deeply woven into her upbringing, shaping her identity and becoming her most powerful form of self-expression.
She explored jazz, contemporary, theatre, and hip-hop. It was through hip-hop that she found a new pathway of growth, connecting with its history, foundations, and especially freestyle — a space that encouraged her to translate feeling into movement. Like many artists, she has had moments of falling out of love with dance, which pushed her to question who she is outside of it. This opened up new creative outlets for her, including writing and poetry, which continue to inspire her today.
Photographed by dot.fina
Sam Hammadou
Festival Coordinator
Sam is a professional Freestyle Artist / Choreographer that possesses a sense of rhythm, a feel for music, and a creative ability to express himself through movement. He has won numerous HipHop competitions at both national and international levels.
Sam has also been working behind the scenes on events and large-scale productions as a stage manager, event coordinator, and assistant project manager. He has a creative mind and an outgoing/friendly personality.
Sam is also an accomplished DJ Providing high quality music and a unique sound for a wide range of events.