The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2022 - Issue 31

bitetheatre Lisa Ogun’ attended the last day of the renowned annual international Breakin’ Convention at Sadler’s Wells, where the hip-hop genre and culture are celebrated in dance and art. THEATRE REVIEW S adler’s Wells’ annual festival of hip-hop dance theatre, Breakin’ Convention, was back for its 19th year, platforming innovative and authen- tic dance rooted in the streets. It was present- ed live on stage over the UK’s spring bank holiday week- end, from Friday 29 April to Sunday 1 May, representing the origins and evolution of hip-hop culture worldwide. Through its international festivals and tours and profes- sional development programme, Breakin’ Convention is at the vanguard of the global development of hip-hop theatre artists. Supporting the artistic vision, hip-hop theatre pioneer Jonzi D founded Breakin’ Convention, supported by Sadler’s Wells in 2004. Since its inception, Breakin’ Convention has been pivot- al to developing the global hip-hop theatre scene, tour- ing nationally since 2007 and internationally since 2013. Breakin’ Convention has now reached live audiences of over 100,000. Each two-day annual event incorporates more than just dance; the hour-long intervals become mini-events. Sadler’s Wells beholds a different activity to participate in or bear witness, with graffiti partic- ipation and artist creations, beatboxing, hot hip-hop freestyling dance-offs, a resident DJ, or a pre-show or interval performance at Lillian Baylis next door. This was my fourth time attending sporadically over the last 19 years, and, as ever, the event didn’t fail to impress, inspire and entertain. I was at the main show on Sunday 1 May, also attending the Lilian Baylis Stu- dios’, situated next door. The pre-show performance showcased choreographer Nick Power’s ‘Between Tiny Cities’, a duet with dancers from Cambodia and Aus- tralia, which gave a taste of the flavour that the main show had in store. This powerful duet, performed in the round, evoked such powerful emotion, peppered with humour, as they used ‘the rituals’ movement styles and language of their hip-hop culture [of both countries] to reveal dramatically different worlds and [yet] uncover the choreographic links that unite them. Main Show Inside the Sadler’s Wells building, the open stage setting was a massive purple, turquoise and white slash-pat- terned backdrop with the words BREAKIN’ CONVEN- TION written diagonally across it. The colourful pop pattern somehow conveyed movement that caught my eye, and I had to take a selfie with it in the background at the end of the show. As usual, the leading man and dance guru, Breakin’ Convention artistic director Jonzi D, hosted the show alongside an on-stage BSL (British Sign Language) sign- er, making this event an even more accessible showcase than ever. “Our international programme is back! De- spite the globalisation of polarisation, Breakin’ Conven- tion will be an opportunity to practice peace, love, and unity while having fun!” was said in true Jonzi D style. Another true Jonzi D stylisation was the poem he per- formed at the start of the show, which included relevant and current references to political and propaganda con- versational topics. Delivered with a peppering of hu- mour and realism, it got us, the audience excited and giggling in anticipation of what the groups would artis- tically offer. At one point, Jonzi even twerked to make his point which got the audience roaring with laughter. He is one funny man who knows how to work the audience, and the glee of returning to the stage could be heard in his voice. “We are only dealing with truth here at Breakin’ Convention; no lies! Pure peace, love, unity and having fun right here! No war! Just peace and love right here, y’know wah ah mean?” the UK godfather of hip-hop dance proclaimed in the finest cockney dialects before introducing the night’s first act. BREAKI CONVENTION