Nottingham Playhouse will undergo a total transformation when the UK’s leading hiphop dance event comes to town for one night only. Breakin' Convention is the hugely popular international festival held at Sadler’s Wells every year since 2004, hosted and curated by the irrepressible Jonzi D. This year, for the very first time, the convention is breakin’ out of London in all its frenetic, headspinning glory, for a strictly limited tour in association with Dance Consortium.

Nottingham Playhouse is the last stop and offers a truly one-off chance to see major poppers, lockers and breakers from Brazil, France and the USA share the stage with the cream of the East Midlands’ home-grown talent. The Playhouse itself will be seen as never before, with graffiti art, DJs and freestyling in the foyer and forecourt. Breakin' Convention comes to Nottingham on Saturday 2 June at 7.30pm, with doors open from 6pm, and tickets at just £16 (Box Office: 0115 941 9419 or the Playhouse website).

Jonzi D, whose own show TAG… Me vs. the City has twice wowed audiences at the Playhouse, will be on stage in person to present a global roll-call of Hip Hop Dance Theatre like none the city has ever seen. The line-up includes the legendary Electric Boogaloos, the seminal Los Angeles outfit who originated body-popping and have been inspiring dancers and audiences for 25 years. The Boogaloos perform their new work Tribute to Skeeter Rabbit (R.I.P.), a breezy yet heartfelt homage to their late co-founder. From France comes the all-male crew Franck II Louise, whose futuristic piece Drop It! with its six half-man, half-machine mutants was described by The Times as “a big, bold bona fide hiphop classic”. Brazilian FRANK EJARA, meanwhile, delivers his own signature take on hiphop, Som Di Movimento, a one-man riot of invention, intricacy and irreverence.

Some of the region’s finest young talents face the daunting task of appearing alongside these much-loved international stars, but East Midlands Hip Hop supremo John Berkavitch has lined up four acts more than capable of holding their own. First up is The Force, a boys’ breakdance crew from Arnold and Carlton with a burgeoning reputation throughout the region. Nottingham is also the home of Urban Dance Studios, whose piece HiphopFunk features fourteen of the city’s finest street dancers, including their own choreographer Milton Russell, a regular TV performer. From just down the A52 come Trinity Warriors, fielding an invasion force of ten b-boys from Derby with their hard-hitting signature piece The Warriors. Completing the bill is Nottingham’s Kofi Mingo, whose beautifully simple, innovative solo piece Neontopia gradually reveals a neon stick-man, miming and popping under UV lights.

Both international and local line-ups are guaranteed to entertain and inspire in equal measure. The energy is set to break out all around the Playhouse and there’s every chance to get involved. Local graffiti artists are preparing work to mount around the building and the dance mats will be unrolled inside and out for attenders to show off their freestyling moves, with local DJs on the decks. Breakin' Convention will truly be a unique and exciting event.

Breakin' Convention website

Nottingham Playhouse website

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