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 Breakin’
Convention 05
Sadler’s Wells
article
0092 added
07.06.05 words Darkling Dami
technical:
QED
 In case it hadn’t crossed your mind to contemplate; Hip Hop is taking
over the world. Seeping into the ‘inbox’ of everyone’s minds, like viral
marketing bringing you a message that you feel to pass on.
You got mail! I was sifting through my inbox a few weeks back and there
it was a message from Jonzi D, transmitting loud and clear through url
internet code; The Breakin’ Convention is back again and this time it’s
bigger, with an extra day to add to a full weekend. Back for the second
year running, still comfortably at home at Sadler’s Well’s and once
again promising to bring some ‘next level shxt!’
With Jonzi D at the helm of the concept, ‘next level’ was easy to
believe. Coming from a big family reeling with creative genes, mastering
all elements of the performing arts was a given. Newly appointed
artistic associate of Sadler’s Wells, trained in classical ballet and
contemporary dance and on a mission to help the language of theatre
evolve, Jonzi created this unique 3 day International Festival of Hip
Hop dance theatre: Breakin’ Convention! If you’re listening the name
speaks for its self.
Growing up rooted in Hip Hop culture, Bboying and emceeing, Jonzi’s
passion to consider the language of Hip Hop and rethink the ways it’s
often performed, lead to this explosive feast for the eyes of dance
theatre and Hip Hop expressed in a different context.
The first night of the show kicked off on Friday 13th, unlucky for some,
but really unlucky for those who missed it. Photos don’t really capture
what you missed but the ones with this feature are heavy. This was Hip
Hop horror night with specially themed performances from Wanted Posse,
Impact Dance and Style Elements.
 With the option to sit or stand, standing of course was the only way to
get down. Standing close, and interactive with ‘call and response’ I was
seduced into the horror fantasy of the event. The possessed Jonzi
cackled as the host, whilst being wheeled on stage by the grim reaper. I
whooped and hollered my way into full vocal capacity which just spilled
out of my mouth as the phenomenal performances took place and you
witnessed what appeared to be the human body defying the laws of gravity
and physics with pure rhythm.
The well established UK dance troupe Impact Dance blew the audience away
with a theatrical spectacle exploring a whole subtext of discrimination
and betrayal using gritty dance imagery choreographed by Hakeem Onibudo.
With attention to detail in everything from costume to set design we
were transported to a place seething with vampire and werewolf clans,
inspired by the film Underworld.
Style Elements, world champion breakers brought their west coast
athletic energy loosely connected to the horror movie The Ring and the
Wanted Posse swooped into Sadler’s Wells from France for the first time,
bringing horror to Hip Hop through a shamanic dance master. Babyson the
only female in the piece emphasised the similar dynamics between the
male and female form, making it clearly evident that the B-girl movement
is doing big things in France. Speaking with them in their dressing room
after the show using my really bad GCSE French, I understood that for
them Bboying allowed a very firm discipline of mind and motivation. And
just as B-boy Crumbs from Style Elements (currently staring in an advert
as a break dancing Gene Kelly), acts as an example of Hip Hop culture
being absorbed into popular culture as an economic force, the Wanted
Posse illustrated the absorption of Hip Hop culture on an individual
level as a means to self-empowerment.
 Hosted by Jonzi D and Mc MellO, the programme that followed over the
weekend saw the crowds spinning and flipping in with bubbling
excitement. The En4cers (Djs Pogo, Biznizz and Cutmaster Swift) mixed
things up In the mezzanine, while mini-me b-boy and b-girls danced to
the prelude of what was to be a musical score embracing over 25 years of
the Hip Hop sound.
The UK brought its street skills to the stage to prove that despite the
slow rise of the UK artist amongst his international counterparts, the
UK Hip Hop movement is still reinventing itself. Works from Robert
Hylton, ZooNation and Holloway Boyz saw flips, floats and freezes from
dancers as young as six and a level of commitment to an innovative form
which made you feel so proud. A major highlight from the UK was Boy Blue
so precisely synchronised and off the hook. Choreographer Kenrick Sandy
brought not only his trademark dance techniques but a troupe of dancers
completely attuned with each other.
Combining traditional philosophies of Korean culture with skilled
breaking, Project Soul confirmed that Hip Hop culture is certainly
global as they caromed off each other with aerodynamic stunts. The
Russians Top 9 brought humour and classical music, while the female led
French Compagnie Revolution brought sensuality and sophistication,
highlighting the female versus male debate. Rennie Harris Puremovement
was back with a medley and the festival concluded with Electric
Boogaloos show stopping performance. With a young new edition to the
team, the originators of Popping of Locking no doubt will be back time
and time again, just like Breakin’ Convention.
With so much going on, from workshops in Popping and Locking and Dj
skills, to a guest appearance from Ana Sanchez from 1984’s movie
Breakdance; when the curtain went down it was no surprise that the vibe
spilled out onto the streets with people not wanting to go home. After
parties for both nights satisfied all those wanting to put in some
footwork. Rubbing shoulders and bending the ears of Electric B’s Sugapop,
MC MellO, Style Elements and the like, it’s clear that under the roof of
Hip Hop everyone speaks the same language.
 The universal tongue of Hip Hop had addressed us loud and clear and
everyone young-fresh and old-school was included in the conversation.
Understanding the context in which it expressed itself throughout this
event is the thought to go home with. By bringing dance theatre to Hip
Hop you become magnetised into the rhythm of the beats, as every
throbbing vibration danced out with orchestrated agility, awakened a
respect for Hip Hop that seems to have been swallowed in this new ‘urban
era’. The stage performances became an interactive music video, where
the visuals reinforced the musical score with positive connotations of
Hip Hop. It became more about the ‘we- collective’ rather than the ‘I-
myself’ which now seems to be the accepted direction of Hip Hop and
music videos. But, as Jonzi said, ‘we’re dealing with life not death’ I
affirm; its events like these that remind us that Hip Hop still has a
chance.
-
Darkling Dami
- Photo credit: Paul Hampartsoumian and Belinda Lawley
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