Breakin' Convention 2010

Breakin’ Convention is a hip hop dance theatre festival, conceived by the genius Jonzi D and happens at the renown home of dance, Sadler’s Wells. Now Hip Hop isn’t really my thing. As shocking as this may seem when I love walking around in trainers, joggers and my frizzy hair i.e. I can easily pull the look off. However, I decided to volunteer (my favourite pass time, now favourite main time) for Breakin’ Convention .

For one weekend Sadler’s Wells is transformed. Forget the white walls and the politeness of lots of people standing musing over what they just saw. Now, the walls are covered in graffiti and there is music blasting through the levels. The energy is amazing. Everywhere you look people are forming circles and watching people busting a move and then there are the people jamming to the music even though no one is watching. 

Inside the theatre the front rows had been removed and instead people stood. It brought that touch of musical festival feel and just made you feel engaged and engaged people were. Now coming from a ‘dance theatre’ background where you politely watch and clap to show your appreciation I absolutely LOVED the audiences’ responses. If there was a move you liked you would react there and then with claps, gasps, woops and taking your hat off.  

Breakin’ Convention may seem artificial. Some feel hip hop is for the streets or the dance floor. Breakin’ Convention is hip hop dance theatre with some of the acts really pushing the dance theatre boundary. However, from freestyle circles, the music, the main stage and the after party there was something for everyone. The standard was amazing with international act as well as UK acts showing how its done. My favourite act was the closing act of the festival Pro-Phenomen from France who were phenomenal. Now I am looking forward to the challenge of learning my breakin’, poppin’ and lockin’ and rocking up to Breakin’ Convention 2011 in my Nike ID’s and ready to show my skills. 

The American Dream: does money equal happiness?

Recently I have been looking at the American Dream with its focus on the “better, richer and happier life”. America has always lived by a Capitalistic ideology, which says the more money and power you have the better your life will be. Is that true though? I had fully brought into the capitalistic ideology growing up. I thought that having money would answer all of my problems and make me happy. However, sacrifices have to be made in order to achieve that money and power. (I am not writing this from first-hand experiences, just observations.)  

The major thing sacrificed is time. People in powerful positions work such long hours. They are generally under great stress and constantly having to think about the company and others. How much ‘me’ time do they get? The saying ‘time is money’ is so true which means free time is often seen as a luxury. A luxury which strangely enough the rich are not allowed, other than for a 2-week luxury holiday to some island no one has heard of or Richard Branson owns.  

I have begun to realise our consumer driven world may not be the route to happiness. To strive for a better, richer and happier life is great but in a degree of moderation. Everyone should have a drive to make their life the best. However, that does not necessarily mean we all need to be Bill Gates. AND most importantly we need to realise we can’t all be Bill Gates. The capitalist structure means there needs to be lots and lots of poor to work under one ridiculously rich person. Looking at Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs it is clear that money will only provide you with the bottom levels so in order to actually live the happier life we need to find it in other ways.  

My aim is to find a middle ground. To have the money to enjoy what money can buy i.e. a home, holidays and possibly every apple product going but I am also able to have the time to enjoy what money cant buy i.e. friends, family and walks on the beach.