Breakin' Convention, Brighton Dome Concert Hall, May 25 & 26

4:21pm Friday 25th May 2007

Sadler's Wells' hip-hop dance theatre festival, Breakin' Convention, is breaking out of London for the first time, bringing together the very best international and national artists for one explosive dance experience.

The impressive line-up includes the legendary American Electric Boogaloos, the originators of hip-hop dance styles popping and booglaoo, with a world premiere tribute to the late Skeeter Rabbit; the inventive Frank Ejara from Brazil, fusing movement and sound in his solo Som Di Movimento and French pioneers Franck II Louise, who continue to push the boundaries of the genre with their classic work, Drop It!

"Franck II Louise have got a hip-hop dance theatre masterpiece," says artistic director Jonzi D, whose enthusiasm for hip-hop culture is infectious. "They explore various hip-hop dance styles to tell a story about uniformity and individualism.

"The lighting is exciting, the costumes are phenomenal. They look like robots, very cool robots - curved, not stiff, but beautiful."

Exploring themes using abstract movement, Franck II Louise are just one of the acts who prove hip-hop is not just for kids.

"This is not a youth culture simply because youth culture loves it," Jonzi says. "I'm 38 and I love it. Politically, Breakin' Convention is about saying, don't patronise this form by saying it's for kids.' I want kids involved,"

he adds, "but adults will get so much out of this show as well."

More than just an opportunity to see the cream of the hip-hop crop busting moves, Breakin' Convention is about getting involved.

"We are trying to present the participatory element of hip-hop culture," says Jonzi.

"When you walk into the building there will be free-styling and graffiti artists in the foyer, young, local people throwing down and DJing.

"Then the show begins and the audience is allowed to make as much noise as possible.

That's hip-hop."

• Starts 6pm, tickets cost £10-£15.

Call 01273 709709

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