Following the cancellation of all performances at Sadler’s Wells in support of the global effort to stop the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19), Breakin’ Convention presents its 17th edition online for the first time, with a series of digital events across the next 10 days culminating in a ‘virtual festival’, Lockdown Lock-in.
The annual international hip-hop festival will be presented digitally on Saturday 2 May, from 12 – 9pm, on the weekend the live festival would have been taken place at Sadler’s Wells, featuring recorded performance highlights from past festivals, with hosting from Breakin’ Convention Artistic Director and Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist, Jonzi D.
Featuring a line-up of Breakin’ Convention highlights from over the years, international and UK acts include Bonetics, Godson, Pfect, SalesPlazaSocietas, Soweto Skeleton Movers, Geni Lou & PAX, Just Dance and Unity. The line-up also features a special collaboration with Jazz re:freshed, with a performance from The Jazz re:freshed Sonic Orchestra, presenting a special commission from the 2018 festival. Lockdown Lock-in is available to watch live via the Breakin’ Convention Facebook Page.
Dance sector support organisation One Dance UK will also host a series of workshops throughout the afternoon from 12 – 4pm, inspired by the inclusive and interactive feel that the live festival offers, and the workshop sessions that would usually be available across the weekend.
The night before the virtual festival, Sadler’s Wells Facebook Premieres will also share highlights from Breakin’ Convention and Jazz re:freshed’s memorable collaboration from the 2018 festival, screened live for audiences on the Sadler’s Wells Facebook page on Friday 1 May at 7.30pm.
Two further online events warm up audiences before the festival weekend. On Sunday 26 April, Breakin’ Convention’s annual Park Jam, a day of outdoor hip-hop fun for all ages normally taking place in Islington’s Spa Fields Park, can be enjoyed online. Breakin’ Convention will share content from previous Park Jams across its social media platforms and is conducting a callout for previous attendees to contribute filmed clips, creating a collage of collaboration and bringing this welcoming day into audiences’ homes. And on Wednesday 29 April, International Dance Day, Breakin’ Convention partners with One Dance UK to offer a Hip hop Conditioning & Safe Practice workshop for dancers, led by Nefeli Tsiouti of Project Breakalign.
Jonzi D says: “Isolating but not isolated! We still connect, and we’re still creative. Social ‘diss’ dancing will attract attention. So let’s start Breakin’ Convention.”
Yvette Griffith Executive Director of Jazz re:Freshed added: “Our landmark collaboration with Breakin’ Convention back in 2015 to celebrate our 15 years by pulling together a 15-piece live band with some of the cream of the UK Jazz scene, was a special moment for us. It’s great to see it getting another outing as part of BC’s 2020 virtual festival. We’re very proud of the project and during these challenging and unpredictable times, we hope the energy and quality of the show will provide online audiences with 60 minutes of joy and distraction”
Further details about each online event, and the artists taking part are available below, or visit the Breakin’ Convention website for more information.
