Breakin’ Convention Comes to Harlem

By Journalist Ms. Jones

HARLEM – Remember the movie “Breakin’” about break-dancers that moved street crowds?

Well, that sensation didn’t die in 1984. It still lives today.

The Breakin’ Convention, the world’s largest festival of hip-hop dance theatre, came to the Apollo Theater from October 20-28. It featured exhibitions, discussions, dance battles, workshops, and film screenings. The mainstage performances on Friday, October 27 and Saturday, October 28 were hosted by UK hip-hop pioneer Jonzi D. and Harlem’s own Beatboxer and Rapper Biz Markie who “spit a few bars.”

“It feels beautiful to host… [the Breakin’ Convention]. It was a melting pot of people from all around the world and I’m glad that breakdancing is still alive, no matter what form or fashion,” said Biz Markie.

Saturday night’s performances included local acts as well as international performances.

The show began with Harlem’s own “Bwreckfast Club from Litefeet.” They lit up the stage with their high energy, precise dance moves. This was their first time dancing at the world-famous Apollo.

Next, was a two-girl group, “Passionfruit,” who hailed from the Bronx. They combined breakdancing with tap and modern dance.

“Poppin’ Pete,” a poppin’ icon, from Las Vegas was actually in the movie “Breakin’” with his legendary dance crew, “The Electric Boogaloos.” His dancing skills were still intact. He gave his breakin’ history from being on “Soul Train” to the movie “Breakin’” all the way to “So You Think You Can Dance”. He ended his performance with a moving dance tribute to his parents who recently passed away.

The “Soweto Skeleton Movers” from South Africa receive a standing ovation after their impressive dance performance of pantsula dance. They used contortionism, fancy footwork, and various hat tricks to wow the crowd.

“Protocol” from the UK combined drama with their hip-hop, poppin’, krump dancing performance. Their goal was to deliver a message. They performed a piece titled “I Can’t Breathe.”

Salah Benlemqawanssa, better known as known Salah, a master popper, locker, and b-boy from France, performed breakdancing in slow motion. He’s been with the Breakin’ Convention since 2004.

“It’s family,” said Salah. “My best performance was… with the Breakin’ Convention. I got connected by my crew, the Vagabond Crew… What I like with Jonzi, how he organizes it, he takes hip-hop dance, but, he doesn’t change [you]. He doesn’t say, okay, you should do it like that. He treats you like a hip-hop dancer, [and values] what you are doing. It’s a blessing for me to do this… show because it’s me.”

Yeah Yellow, an award-winning crew from France, headlined the event, combining hip-hop with breakdancing. They love yellow because it signifies the Sun, the Force, and the Light.

The night ended with a cypher, or freestyle dance performance, with the different dance crews as well as some guests.

“[Cypher] is coming from yourself, it’s coming from the energy, the soul…,” said Brooklyn’s own Joseph Carella, better known as Klassic, who performed on “So You Think You Can Dance” this summer. Klassic’s style of dance that he performed in the cypher is called flexin’ which is a reggae dancehall-based style that was created in Brooklyn.

“I wanted the hip-hop audience to feel comfortable coming to the theatre. The whole thing about the Breakin’ Convention isn’t just what’s on the stage, it’s what’s outside the building as well. That’s the reason why as soon as you walk down you’ve got DJs spinning outside, street dancers chillin’ and graffiti,” said Jonzi D., the Artistic Director of the Breakin’ Convention, who has been featured on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam.

The Breakin’ Convention started in 2004 in London. It became international in 2013.

“The very first international date that we did was at the Harlem Apollo. So, there’s a real feeling of home here… because in a way this is the venue that set us on our international journey… This year alone we’ve done Toronto, Luxembourg, Miami… Charlotte… here, and we’re doing Denver next… What we want to do is spread peace and love around the world. That’s it… And we can do that in spaces like this because it’s a mad diverse audience. Everywhere we go is diverse. There’s a diverse program on stage. I always choose different countries from around the world and we are all on the same vibration. [I take the] same international crews. Everywhere we go we work with the local artists. That’s a really important thing.. I’m really interested in coming out and helping to develop the craft of street dance in the theatre,” said Jonzi D.

The Breakin’ Convention is for everybody.

“Whatever gets you excited, whatever inspires you, you can find that here. If you like painting, there’s the graffiti side… If you wanna rap, there’s a rap side. If you just wanna dance, you can dance,” said Jonzi D.

That’s exactly what people did. People danced in the aisle even during intermission and after the show as DJ Boogie Blind and DJ Precision kept the beats flowing.

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