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Break to the Beat

Learn how to breakdance with the Pioneers!

Have you ever watched on enviously at the B-Boys popping, locking and backspinning, and thought – I wish I could do that? Ever heard Herbie Hancock's 'Rockit' and thought, damn, I wanna bust some moves but I ain't got 'em? Then The Pioneers – a series of breakdance classes at London's Sadlers Wells theatre – is definitely for you.

A logical extension from the theatre's long-running Breakin' Convention breakdance festival, which brought together some of the legendary originators of the artform, including The Electric Boogaloos, The Pioneers aims to teach both beginners and more advanced breakers alike the foundations of their unique style.

Whereas Breakin' Convention was primarily a performance, a display, this time around Suga Pop and Popin' Pete will be demonstrating and instructing the various moves within breaking for a series of workshops. From 28th January-1st February, Suga Pop will be taking classes between 7pm-8pm in locking, popping and boogaloo, and will be hosting a lecture on 31st January, hosted by curator Jonzi D. At the end of February, from 25th-29th, Popin' Pete will take the mantle for a series of classes specifically in popping, and will himself deliver a lecture on the 29th. Tickets for the workshops are priced at £10, whereas lecture tickets are £7 and are available from the ticket office – call 0844 412 4300.

Breakin' Convention will celebrate its fifth birthday in 2008. The premier three day hip-hop dance festival, it's garnered huge acclaim for its championing of one of the most important foundations of hip-hop culture, and bringing masters of the form like The Electric Boogaloos and Franck II Louise to the UK to perform. In 2007, the festival was nominated for TMA Theatre Award for the Achievement in Dance Category.