Applications have opened for Academy Breakin’ Convention, the new hip hop theatre school at Sadler’s Wells’ fourth London venue, Sadler’s Wells East, due to open next year as part of the East Bank development in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Heading up the project is artist-educator Niquelle LaTouche as Head of School. The Artistic Director is Jonzi D, founder and Artistic Director of Breakin’ Convention and a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist.
Young people are invited to apply for the two-year course for 16- to 19-year-olds. Students will achieve a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Performance and Production Arts, specific to hip hop theatre. The course will cover all the artistic elements of hip hop theatre, including breaking, DJing, emceeing, graffiti, hip hop social dance, music production and popping.
Niquelle LaTouche is the founder of Niquelle LaTouche Arts (2014) and It Takes a Village Collective (2020). She performed at Breakin’ Convention’s 15th anniversary in 2018 with Boy Blue Entertainment and has participated in Breakin’ Convention’s artist development projects Open Art Surgery and Higher Learning.
Jonzi D said, "I dreamt of this when I was 15. I imagined a theatre school like Fame the TV show, but set in east London! Featuring talented young people of a variety of ethnicities and social backgrounds, all with a shared passion and desire to achieve excellence in hip hop culture.
"In the same year that breaking is represented in the Olympic Games, Academy Breakin’ Convention will nurture the next generation of hip hop theatre artists, leaders and game changers! I’m especially excited and proud to welcome Niquelle LaTouche as Head of Academy Breakin Convention. With her experience as an English teacher, poet, dancer and artistic leader, she is very well equipped to lead this organisation to greatness.”
Academy Breakin’ Convention will offer free training courses delivered in partnership with and funded by Big Creative Training, part of London’s largest creative college.