Breakin’ Convention, the UK’s biggest festival of hip-hop dance theatre, returns to Sadler’s Wells this year with its signature energy, always showcasing a thrilling blend of international and local talent. This year, it continues to push the boundaries of what hip-hop can be on stage, weaving together raw street vibrance with contemporary dance and theatrical elements.
The night opened with a freestyle battle (Capital vs Kingdom) held at the mezzanine level, where street dance artists showcased a vibrant mix of styles—from krump and locking to waacking and popping—immediately igniting the night’s vibe to a fever pitch.
Unlike the usual setting at Sadler’s Wells, half of the front auditorium had been transformed into a dance pitch packed with standing audiences. The main stage show began with UK company WeGrowTogether, who presented a piece mixing house dance and hip-hop with a hint of African music. The style was reminiscent of the choreographic work of Qudus Onikeku, where vibrancy is defined through bold colours and rhythmic pulses.
Following that was Jamaal O’Driscoll’s elegant interpretation of hip-hop, performed in slow motion with a crystallised sense of fluidity. The first half dazzled with The Ruggeds from the Netherlands, who brought a swaggering, theatrical edge. They twisted their bodies like loaded springs, erupting into bursts of explosive motion with a cheeky flick of the foot that hovered defiantly in the air.
The climactic hallmark of the night, without doubt, was S.T.U.C.K, choreographed by French waacking icon Mounia Nassangar—a punk-influenced dance style that emerged in LGBTQ+ clubs in 1970s Los Angeles. This 40-minute piece, performed by five dancers, was exceptionally exhilarating. It is already a fully matured work not only within the realm of hip-hop, but as a compelling piece of well-choreographed contemporary dance in its own right.
The opening of S.T.U.C.K featured a theatrical scene of head-shaving in a barber’s, evoking the 70s LGBTQ+ working-class experience. Their bodies and limbs conveyed fierce feelings through fluidity and precision, in stark contrast to their piercing, detached gazes. Throughout the piece, intense beats created a visceral intensity, and the lighting was equally impressive—shifting from haunting, anxious red to warmer, nostalgic blue and orange, and eventually to golden shades that cast the dancers into striking silhouettes.
It was fascinating to witness two kinds of audiences—Sadler’s Wells’ regular contemporary dancegoers and the hip-hop community that Breakin’ Convention draws—sharing the same space and negotiating with each other. For instance, when a dancer from S.T.U.C.K delivered an electrifying waacking solo with incredible speed, the latter were inclined to respond with whistles and cheers, while the former preferred remaining silent, holding their breath in focused attention. Nevertheless, the two found reconciliation by the end. The held breaths gave way to the same uncontrollable, manic applause, cheers, and wild yells. This was a piece made to awe.
From explosive breaking and krump to intricate popping and lyrical choreography, this year’s line-up reaffirmed the festival’s role as a vibrant hub for innovation and cultural expression within the global community of hip-hop dance.
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