The world’s biggest hip hop theatre festival, Breakin’ Convention, is back at Sadler’s Wells this May Bank Holiday

The world’s biggest festival for hip hop theatre, Breakin’ Convention returns to Sadler’s Wells Theatre in Angel this May bank holiday (Friday 1–Monday 4 May 2026).
 
Founded, created and programmed by hip hop innovator Jonzi D, Breakin’ Convention has been held annually at Sadler’s Wells since 2004. Over its twenty-two years, it has become a global platform celebrating hip hop culture through dance, performance, and artistic expression. Featuring both UK and international artists, with the motto “around the world and around the corner”, the festival honours hip hop’s roots while pushing creative boundaries, proving that the culture remains as relevant and multi-faceted as ever.
 
Across the weekend Breakin’ Convention presents the full range of hip hop dance styles including breaking, popping, Krump, wacking and contemporary dance with a number of UK and world premiere performances. This year’s programme includes Compagnia Bellanda (Italy) Joseph Toonga (UK) Rock Force Crew (USA) Let It Happen (the Netherlands) ILL-Abilities (the Netherlands and Brazil), Breakin’ Convention Youth (UK), IMD Legion (UK) with more to be announced.
 
Taking over the full building at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, there will be live DJ sets from esteemed mixmasters, dance workshops, live graffiti, cyphers, freestyle sessions, and soul food, to accompany auditorium performances. This year, the festival kicks off with Friction on Friday 1 May, a special opening event of electrifying battles and performances from hip hop theatre luminaries. Audiences are invited to join from 4pm on Saturday and Sunday, and the weekend’s programming is suitable for ages 12 and over, with parental discretion advised for younger attendees.
 
In 2026, Breakin’ Convention will also present a family-friendly weekend at Sadler’s Wells East in Stratford. The free Breakin’ Convention Family Jam, running from Friday 24 -Saturday 25 April, welcomes future breakers and poppers of all ages. The weekend will feature performances in the foyer’s community dance space, The Dance Floor, as well as food, workshops, DJ sets, sample sessions, and community showcases.
 
Breakin' Convention 2026, Friction - Friday 1 May
 
Opening night Friction, on Friday 1 May, launches the weekend with electrifying foyer battles, live DJs, and politically rich auditorium performances by Compagnia Bellanda, Joseph Toonga, and the Rock Force.
 
Italian duo Compagnia Bellanda, founded by Giovanni Leonarduzzi and Claudia Latini, present La Dolce Vita, a UK premiere that straddles the line between passion and possession, permission and power. Fusing breaking and contemporary dance, the company has developed a distinctive movement language they term 'floor-flirting.'
 
Born to Protest: The Reframe, another UK premiere, is an all-female reimagining of Joseph Toonga’s work that delivers a powerful performance rooted in krumping. Originally conceived as Toonga’s first public work, as part of his Born to Manifest trilogy, this iteration explores themes of power, defiance, and vulnerability from a female perspective.
 
Rock Force have created a new high-energy performance, marking its world premiere at Breakin’ Convention. Established in 1983, Rock Force Crew is the fourth generation of the legendary bboy crew from California, USA. Over the decades, they’ve won countless iconic battles, including first place at the UK Bboy Championships in 2025. This performance features bboys Morris, Icey Ives, Kareem, and more.
 
Breakin' Convention 2026, Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 May
 
The weekend’s festival programme includes two full days of performances. The lineup so far includes Let It Happen, ILL-Abilities, Breakin’ Convention Youth, IMD Legion, Compagnia Bellanda, and Rock Force, with more names to be announced. As well, Breakin’ Convention takes over the entire building with dance workshops, live graffiti, cyphers, freestyle sessions, and more.
 
Norah, Yarah and Rosa collectively known as Let It Happen will grace Breakin’ Convention with a world premiere performance of their infectious brand of classic hip hop dance. These actual sisters have become social media sensations and have been dancing together since birth. Taught by their parents who passed on their knowledge of the golden generation, Let It Happen have taken the baton, sharing their skills and gaining over a million followers online.
 
Returning to Breakin’ Convention by popular demand, ILL-Abilities is a trailblazing all-star collective of differently abled b-boys from the Netherlands and Brazil. This world premiere performance builds on their practice, which defies any perceived limitations. Their extraordinary skills have drawn headlines and packed venues since their early days. ILL-Abilities will form part of the Breakin’ Convention 2026 UK tour.
 
Also returning to Sadler’s Wells in the Lillian Baylis Studio, HOMESICK is a piece conceived by Break Convention Youth alongside Theophilus and Jade Hackett. Developed over a twelve-week programme last September, the work combines movement, spoken word, rap, and grime, reflecting how young Londoners consider their lives, environments, and sense of belonging through collective storytelling.
 
IMD Legion, an East London street dance crew founded in 2010 by Omar Ansah-Awuah, present a world premiere at Sadler’s Wells. With members aged 10–16 from East London, Essex, and Kent, the crew offers a broad range of styles with each dancer specialising in a different street discipline.
 
Following their Friday night performance, Compagnia Bellanda and Rock Force will also present work over the weekend, providing additional opportunities to see their mastery in action.
 
This year’s Breakin’ Convention Festival at Sadler’s Wells Theatre is aimed at audiences aged 12+. For more information about the history of hip hop, and a guide to Breakin’ Convention, visit Our Hip Hop Guide — Breakin' Convention.
 
Breakin' Convention 2026 Tour (Saturday 9 May to Saturday 6 June)

Immediately after the London Festival, Breakin’ Convention embarks on a nationwide tour, travelling to towns and cities across the United Kingdom including its first dates in Canterbury. Featuring, TRAPLORD, Femme Fatale, ILL-Abilities and more acts to be announced shortly
 
The Olivier Award-winning TRAPLORD, created by prolific artist and choreographer Ivan Blackstock will join the Breakin’ Convention tour. Blackstock’s innovative body of work includes collaborations with artists such as Beyoncé as well as solo performances, film and more. Exploring masculinity and mental health, TRAPLORD is an explosive fusion of movement and storytelling challenging racial stereotypes of Black men. 
 
The 2026 tour lineup also includes Los Angeles-based trio Femme Fatale who are of French, Mexican and Korean origin. Renowned for their slick and timeless performances, stylish musicality and razor-sharp moves, Femme Fatale’s appearances at Breakin’ Convention in recent years have been acclaimed by audiences and critics alike. 
 
Breakin’ Convention tours to The Marlowe, Canterbury (9 May), Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham (15 & 16 May), Belgrade Theatre, Coventry (20 May), Tramway, Glasgow (23 May), Brighton Dome, Brighton (27 May) Lighthouse, Poole (30 May), CAST, Doncaster (3 June) and The Grand, Blackpool (6 June).
 
Beyond the annual festival and this year’s tour, Breakin’ Convention runs a range of artist development programmes, including Open Art Surgery and Back To The Lab, and has toured nationally and internationally, including in the Netherlands and the United States. Just last year, Academy Breakin’ Convention officially opened at Sadler’s Wells East, offering the UK’s first Level 3 qualification in hip hop theatre. This two-year course for 16–19-year-olds covers seven elements of hip hop dance theatre: Popping, Breaking, Emceeing, Social Dance, DJing, Music Production, and Graffiti. More information is available here: Home - Academy Breakin' Convention