Dance review: Breakin’ Convention, Edinburgh Festival Theatre

RETURNING to the Festival Theatre once again, annual celebration of hip-hop dance theatre Breakin’ Convention is a showcase like no other.

RETURNING to the Festival Theatre once again, annual celebration of hip-hop dance theatre Breakin’ Convention is a showcase like no other.

Within the two-hour main set (there were fringe events in the foyer beforehand), high and lowbrow met on the dancefloor in a way that was neither pretentious nor patronising, with the stated aim to reflect street culture often giving way to top-quality performances that were balletic in their execution.

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That some of the most sophisticated contemporary dance set-pieces were met with either the stunned coos of mesmerised children or the wolf-whistles of teenage girls as another muscled torso was displayed only emphasised the cheerfully democratic nature of the show.

Compered by artistic director Jonzi D and local representative Tony Thrills, the first half was a mixed bag of interesting shorter pieces, including a crowd-pleasing medley of soul and Motown numbers from local crews Random Aspekts and Heavy Smokers, together as the Edinburgh Soul Review. There were also impressively theatrical performances from all-female groups Jackin’ the Box and Ready Ready Sauce.

More expressive pieces came from the solo Daniel Aing and male/female French-Korean duo Clash 66. The second half, however, was quite rightly given over to striking all-male French troupe Vagabond Crew, who provided a display of gravity-defying dance moves wrapped up in subtle and precisely wrought choreography, which amused and took the breath away in equal measure.

Rating: ****