Breakin’ Convention, the world’s ground-breaking festival of hip hop dance theatre, is back and celebrating 20 years!
Expect jaw-dropping and inspiring performances from internationally celebrated poppers, lockers, b-boys and b-girls in a festival that showcases local talent alongside global sensations.
Join us in Plymouth as we celebrate 20 years of Breakin’ Convention, touring with an all-new international line-up including, South Korea’s breakin’ crew MOVER, Netherland’s influential forces of funk Ghetto Funk Collective, and Dutch international hip hop pole champion Yvonne Smink. Hosted and curated by UK hip hop theatre legend and Breakin’ Convention Artistic Director Jonzi D, the festival also features DJs, graffiti artists and freestyle sessions taking place all over the building.
Run out of Sadler’s Wells in London, Breakin’ Convention has been leading the hip hop theatre revolution since 2004. Book your tickets now and be part of this ultimate celebration of hip hop culture.
Important information
Age guideline:
Suitable for all ages
BSL Interpreted – Tuesday 23rd May 2023 at 7:30pm and Wednesday 24th May (Interpreter TBC – Provided by Complete Communication)
Content information will become available for this production soon.
Please note – most of our productions feature flashing lights and loud sounds.
If you require this information prior to booking, please check back for updates or call our Box Office on 01752 267222.
Breakin’ Convention takes over Theatre Royal Plymouth with a whole host of free activity on Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th May from 4pm! TRP will be transformed into an immersive Hip-Hop experience that is open to everyone.
You can expect incredible local food, local artist jams, parkour from the formidable Plymouth Parkour, freestyling from MC Jacob Earley, live DJing from Jonezy and Billy Hannah, graffiti from local artist Jon Lilly and so much more!
Join us to celebrate 20 years of Breakin’ Convention and 50 years of hip hop in true Plymouth style – you really don’t want to miss this incredible experience!
International Artists
Ghetto Funk Collective (Netherlands)
A collective of artists including dancers, musicians, DJs and more. Co-founded by best friends Ruben Chi and Roché Apinsa, Ghetto Funk Collective have created their own funk-fuelled movement, sound and experience. Dancers include Rowly Hughne, Imaury Dos Santos Moreno Horta, Joshua Markiet, Jinko Adams, Joao Balde Arias and Ibrah Kakande. The crew will perform It’s on the one, named after a phrase used in funk to describe a tight and syncopated rhythm emphasising the first beat of each measure – James Brown often directed his band with this during live performances. The dancers take the audience on a journey paying homage to funk’s rich cultural heritage while infusing it with a fresh, modern sensibility, a celebration of funk dance styles and a testament to its enduring power.
Yvonne Smink (Netherlands)
Bringing her highly original, hip hop infused take on the art of pole dancing, Yvonne has been honing her skills since 2011, practicing every day. Her practice originated from wall climbing and she immediately fell in love with the physical challenge pole dancing offers. Her breath-taking, gravity defying signature style is influenced by Chinese pole and breakdance amongst other forms. Every performance is loaded with power moves and intricate detail as Yvonne demonstrates her natural grace, flow and physical dexterity.
Yvonne is a multiple Dutch and international pole champion who owns her own pole dancing school for all levels and performs in over 60 countries across the world. Her showstopping performance at Breakin’ Convention 2022 at Sadler’s Wells earned her exceptional praise as audiences watched her dance, high above stage level. She lives and works in Paris.
MOVER (South Korea)
Founded in 2014, MOVER is a creative crew producing various activities not limited to specific genres of dance but building on and utilising their considerable skills as breakers. With Artistic Director, Seoljin Kim, MOVER take various challenges beyond just moving the body, dancers Bboy Rocket, Bboy Tazo, Bboy Mario, Bboy Sknuf, Bboy Pocket and Bgirl Steel8 complete the line-up. MOVER will perform a piece titled Merry-Go-Round referring to a DJing technique in hip hop that repeats the interlude or break of a song by using twin turntables. In their view, B-Boying, which originated from this music is a dance that mirror our lives, flowing and moving with a repeated rhythm.
A wide range of emotions such as joy and sadness, accomplishment and emptiness are expressed by the dancers and performed to dynamic Korean traditional music, delivering a sense of “heung” (a sense of joyful excitement) and “han” (a sense of deep sorrow or resentment) brought to life by MOVER via dance.
Local Acts
Beat-Breakers
Plymouths very first street dance crew Beat-Breakers present searching for a feeling, a journey of self-discovery through street dance.
Chicago Footwork UK
The electrifying Chicago Footwork UK showcases the underground but fast growing, explosive, high energy and intricate dance style of Chicago Footwork
Perry Johnson
Solo artist, Perry Johnson, uses Breaking to inspire self-motivation and perseverance during tough times in his heart-warming work Keep the Faith
Poppin’ Ollie
“My piece will tell the story of my struggle with Autism, how I have through my dance slowly started to accept my differences”
Rhythm City
Plymouths championing street dance studio Rhythm City presents Rise & Fall. A performance that challenges the idea of power through breaking out of the conformity to society’s view of what is ‘acceptable’
Street Factory
Street Factory, is fuelled by a deep rooted passion, commitment, determination and philosophy; to help people to fly, people who feel they don’t have wings or a direction in life.
Studio 4 Dance
A dance organisation from Cornwall passionate about providing accessible training and professional development for young performers in Cornwall
The Groovement Project Dance Company
At The Groovement Project Dance Company they live and breathe dance and performance; always striving to provide high level training for all abilities across a very wide range of dance styles; whilst also creating amazing opportunities for our dancers and performers; locally, nationally and internationally.
Workshops on sale now!
Limited spaces available
We have 4 fantastic workshops with South Korea’s MOVER and the Netherlands’ Ghetto Funk Collective on Monday 22nd May. This is an incredibly exciting and rare opportunity to have access to some of the world’s leading Hip-Hop dance artists for just £10.00 per workshop! These workshops are for all abilities, whether you’re a Hip-Hop beginner or a locking pro, there is a place for you!