Jonzi D at Sadler’s Wells
(Picture: Daniel Hambury/Stella Pictures Ltd)Is break dancing (whisper it) losing its edge? Not if Jonzi D has anything to do with it. The MC, dancer, spoken word artist and director has long been credited as one of the founders of the British hip hop scene, helping to take locking, popping and krumping from fringe interests to some of the world’s great theatres, bringing a whole new audience – not to mention the dance establishment – along with him. Now of course b-boying is pretty much everywhere, from Britain’s Got Talent to half-time at the Super Bowl; in two years’ time it will even make its Olympic debut as a sport at the Paris Games. And talking to Jonzi, in the cavernous backstage of Sadler’s Wells theatre, where he established the trailblazing Breakin’ Convention festival nearly two decades ago, it’s clear he’s taken aback with how ubiquitous the artform has become.
“Hip hop is all over the place now. It’s the main cultural vehicle and I’m really surprised with what’s happened with it, to be honest. I remember starting out, thinking: ‘Look, all we want is a little moment for us to do our thing within this big picture of theatre. We’re not asking for too much, we just want a little bit of funding to see if this is a thing.’ Now hip hop has become the standard. If you want to be in dance, if you want to be in the commercial side of it, in the art side of it, you have to understand hip hop disciplines.” He smiles, ruefully. “That’s pretty mind-blowing to me.”
