Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention, the influential festival of hip hop dance theatre, returns for its 18th year with a programme curated by hip hop theatre pioneer and Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Jonzi D.
Breakin’ Convention Presents showcases the UK premiere of Compagnie Niya’s Gueules Noires on Thursday 1 & Friday 2 July. Choreographer Rachid Hedli pays a heartfelt tribute to the migrant workers of the Nord-Pas de Calais Mining Basin, including his father. Retracing life in the mines, Compagnie Niya’s razor-sharp breaking and popping skills create evocative images of solidarity, struggle and fraternity.
On Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 July, Breakout Convention features eight different performances from exceptional hip hop companies.
Making their Breakin’ Convention debut with a piece acknowledging the power of unity is AwA (Atypical with Attitude), hip hop company representative of the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) community.
Taking inspiration from his own identity, waacking artist Bagsy asks what it means to be a man in new work Surrender. Compagnie Niya presents the UK premiere of an excerpt of Resurgence, a game between movement and sound.
Presenting the world premiere of Force D’Âme is Dey Dey and Manuela from the acclaimed Zamounda Crew (France).
A quartet of women pay homage to the classic generation of musical theatre in Vintage, choreographed by Boy Blue veteran Gemma Hoddy.
Patience J brings energy and attitude with Colours, a celebratory work exploring modern Afro dance forms from the African diaspora including n’dombolo and azonto.
Spoken Movement returns to Sadler’s Wells with Family Honour, led by artistic director Kwame Asafo-Adjei. The work uses popping and tutting to illustrate a psychologically potent duet which explores the religious and cultural taboos in a Ghanaian family.
South London’s W.A.R (We Ain’t Regular) brings the raw to the stage with a Sadler’s Wells debut and world premiere performance.
As well as world-class dance crews and soloists, the 2021 programme features films from Breakin’ Convention’s latest initiatives Power to the Pixel and Next Day Delivery – a collaboration between choreographers and writers.
