Breakin' Convention

What Breakin' Convention does

Breakin' Convention is a London-based hip hop dance theatre organization founded in 2004 by Jonzi D and operating as an integral artistic programme of Sadler's Wells Trust Ltd, a registered UK charity. The organization produces an annual international festival at Sadler's Wells, a UK tour covering up to nine cities, and international touring across the Netherlands, USA, Canada, Luxembourg, and Sweden. Its core programming spans four pillars: festivals and international touring (the primary commercial and brand platform); professional development programmes including Open Art Surgery, Back to the Lab, and Higher Learning; youth and community projects such as Future Elements, Back in the Booth, Graffical, and Starting From Scratch; and formal education through Academy Breakin' Convention, the UK's first free Level 3 Extended Diploma in Hip Hop Theatre for 16-19 year olds, located at Sadler's Wells East.

The underlying platform is a curated festival and artist-development ecosystem rather than a technology product. Technical infrastructure is limited to a Squarespace-hosted website, BCTV (a YouTube content channel launched in 2014), Vimeo and YouTube video embeds, Google Analytics, and standard social media properties (Instagram, Facebook, X, Snapchat). The "technology" is fundamentally domain specialization: a 21-year proprietary methodology for commissioning, mentoring, and showcasing hip hop theatre, supported by a network of elite mentors (Ivan Blackstock, Jade Hackett, Julia Cheng, and others) and a curated alumni pipeline.

Revenue derives from a hybrid arts-charity model. Earned income streams include festival and tour ticket sales (e.g., after-party tickets from £6, professional showcase tickets from £22, general admission at £12 with concessions), venue and partner bookings across Sadler's Wells and nine UK theatres, and partner venue arrangements for international festivals. Non-earned income comprises Arts Council England core funding and project grants channeled via Sadler's Wells' National Portfolio Organisation status. A substantial portion of programming — youth projects, the Academy, and Park Jam community events — is delivered free of charge, indicating that Arts Council subsidy and parent-institution support constitute the financial backbone. The customer base is split between consumer audiences (theatre-goers, dance enthusiasts, hip hop culture fans) and a pipeline of artists/young people who progress through youth programmes into professional development and festival performance opportunities.

Name

Breakin' Convention

Legal name

Sadler's Wells Trust Ltd

Website

https://breakinconvention.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Breakin' Convention is a London-based hip hop dance theatre organization founded in 2004, operating within Sadler's Wells, that produces an annual international festival, UK and international tours, professional development programmes, youth projects, and the UK's first Level 3 Extended Diploma in Hip Hop Theatre.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Festival

NAICS

Dance Companies (71112), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban/Street Dance Performances (Hip-Hop, Breaking) (MPAGADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ), Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)

Keywords

• Hip hop dance theatre
• International dance festival
• Youth arts programs
• Performing arts education
• Professional development programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Festival and Event Ticket Sales: Primary revenue through ticket sales for the annual London festival, international touring shows, professional development showcases, and special events. Pricing varies by event type and venue.
2. Arts Council and Public Funding: Supported by Arts Council England as a core funder. Additional grants and public funding for specific projects and international expansion.
3. Venue and Partner Bookings: Revenue from hosting events at partner venues including Sadler's Wells, theatres across UK tour cities, and international festival partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Breakin' Convention produces the world's leading international festival of hip hop dance theatre at Sadler's Wells in London, alongside international touring (UK and Rotterdam), professional development programmes (Open Art Surgery, Back to the Lab), youth and community projects, and the UK's first Level 3 Extended Diploma in Hip Hop Theatre via Academy Breakin' Convention. Founded in 2004 by Jonzi D, the organisation operates as an integral artistic programme of Sadler's Wells Trust Ltd.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual London Hip Hop Dance Theatre Festival Annual international festival of hip hop dance theatre at Sadler's Wells in London featuring world-class performers, workshops, cyphers, and interactive experiences for theatre-goers, hip hop enthusiasts, and families.
• UK Tour 2026 Touring showcase of hip hop dance theatre across 9 UK cities, with tickets sold through each venue's box office for general audiences and hip hop culture fans.
• Breakin' Convention Rotterdam 2026 Four-day international hip hop dance theatre festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands, hosted across multiple venues as part of Breakin' Convention's international expansion.
• Open Art Surgery Week-long intensive professional development programme for early-career hip hop artists to experiment with new ideas and receive mentorship, culminating in work-in-progress presentations with audience feedback.
• Back to the Lab Two-week intensive choreographic development course for experienced hip hop theatre makers with mentorship, technical support, and public showcase. Tickets for showcase from £22.00.
• Academy Breakin' Convention Free Level 3 Extended Diploma in Performance and Production Arts specific to Hip Hop Theatre for 16-19 year olds, located at Sadler's Wells East in Stratford as part of East Bank cultural hub.
• BCTV (Breakin' Convention TV) YouTube channel and filmmaker project producing documentaries, performances, and creative content about hip hop culture for public audiences online.
• Youth and Community Projects Free youth programmes including Future Elements, Starting From Scratch, Back in the Booth, Graffical, Bring the Drama, Out The Box, and Social DisDancing for young people aged 11-21 interested in hip hop culture.
• Next Day Delivery 24-hour film challenge project for collaborations between choreographers and wordsmiths, producing short films from concept to completion.
• Word Becomes Flesh

Quantifiable outcome

• 20+ years of annual festivals showcasing hip hop theatre
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Theater RotterdammajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2026Primary Rotterdam venue partner for Breakin' Convention Rotterdam 2026 festival (12-15 November). Also hosts Theater Zuidplein as secondary venue.
• Nieuwe LuxormajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2026Rotterdam venue partner for Breakin' Convention Rotterdam 2026 international festival expansion.
• Sadler's WellscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBreakin' Convention is an integral part of Sadler's Wells' artistic programme. Sadler's Wells provides the primary London venue, institutional support, marketing infrastructure, and administrative framework. Jonzi D is an Associate Artist at Sadler's Wells. The relationship is fundamental to BC's operations and reputation.
• Soapbox IslingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Back in the Booth program, providing studio space for young rappers and vocalists to record tracks with professional producers.
• Pirate StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Back to Basics music production course, providing studio facilities for 16-19 year olds learning DJing, music production, and radio production.
• The Yard TheatreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost venue for Word Becomes Flesh program and other East London events.
• Bernie Grant Arts CentreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlternative London venue for Open Art Surgery programming in Tottenham.
• The PlaceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLondon venue partner for special presentations including Soweto Skeleton Movers Unbreakable.
• East Bank Partners (BBC, UAL, UCL, V&A)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSadler's Wells East is part of East Bank cultural hub alongside BBC, UAL's London College of Fashion, UCL, and V&A, creating collaboration opportunities in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
• UK Tour Venue TheatresmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of 9 UK theatres hosting 2026 UK tour: The Marlowe, Tyne Theatre, Royal Concert Hall, Belgrade Theatre, Tramway, Brighton Dome, Lighthouse, CAST, The Grand.
• Theater ZuidpleinminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRotterdam venue partner for Breakin' Convention Rotterdam programming including Word Becomes Flesh performance.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Southbank Centre: UK's largest arts centre presenting dance, music, and literature programming including hip hop and contemporary dance. Competes for the same London cultural audiences and presents touring hip hop dance work that overlaps with BC's festival calendar.
• Edinburgh Festival Fringe: The world's largest arts festival presenting dance, theatre, and hip hop work from BC alumni (e.g., pieces developed via Open Art Surgery have appeared at the Fringe). Functions as both a complementary showcase and competitive booking venue for hip hop dance theatre.
• The Place: London's primary dance creation and performance venue, commissioning and presenting contemporary dance across genres. Operates a parallel ecosystem of professional development, performance platforms, and youth engagement that overlaps with BC's broader portfolio.
• Sadler's Wells: BC's parent organization and primary venue partner. Sadler's Wells is the UK's leading dance house with a broader contemporary dance remit across multiple genres; it provides institutional infrastructure that enables BC's operations but also operates dance programming that overlaps with BC's audience.

Direct peers

• Boy Blue Entertainment: East London hip hop dance company whose work 'Emancipation of Expressionism' was featured at BC's 2013 festival (and is now part of GCSE dance syllabus). Operates in the same hip hop dance theatre niche with overlapping artist pools and audience segments.
• BirdGang Dance Company: London-based hip hop dance company that has emerged from the UK hip hop scene with similar performance, education, and youth engagement activities. Operates in adjacent programming slots and competitions within the UK hip hop dance ecosystem.
• ZooNation Dance Company: Founded by Kate Prince, ZooNation is one of the UK's leading hip hop dance theatre companies and has been featured at Breakin' Convention since 2004. It competes for the same London hip hop dance audiences, artists, and commissioning slots, making it the closest direct peer in the UK hip hop dance theatre space.
• Far From The Norm: UK hip hop dance theatre company led by Botis Seva (who has won multiple accolades for works shown at Breakin' Convention). Competes for the same commissioning, touring, and audience opportunities in hip hop dance theatre.

Regional players

• East London Dance: East London-based dance development organization running youth programs, professional development, and community engagement with a strong hip hop strand. Overlaps with BC's youth work in the same geographic catchment and target demographics.

Emerging players

• Red Bull Dance Your Style: Global hip hop dance competition brand with events reaching mass urban audiences. While focused on street dance battles rather than dance theatre, it competes for the same artist pool and sponsorships in the hip hop dance category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bconvention
• Facebookfacebook.com/breakinconvention
• Instagraminstagram.com/breakinconvention
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/breakinconvention

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Breakin' Convention