Britain’s Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing On Ice, Dancing With The Stars, Strictly Come Dancing. The glut of television shows focused solely on dancing means that viewers don’t even have to leave the safety of their sofa to enjoy toe-tapping rhythms and a boogie.
But those keen for a more interactive experience will be thrilled to discover that upcoming Streetfest allows dance enthusiasts an up-close view of all the body-popping action they can handle, in addition to some hands-on (or rather feet-on) experience.
For the sixth year in a row Streetfest will showcase the very best of British street culture, including music, art, sport and cinema, as well as dance. The all-day festival is the UK’s first and only live street art festival.
Held in warehouses in Shoreditch, East London, the event will feature both established acts as well as emerging talent.
American rapper and producer Odisee, and recent winner of the iTunes hip-hop album of the year, will headline this year’s event. English rapper and producer Dot Rotten, who was named BBC’s Sound of 2012, will appear on the same stage with his own grime-derived pop music.
Aside from live demonstrations, competitions and performances, attendees can also visit Streetfest’s own marketplace, which will sell independent fashion labels, craft and food.
This year’s event will see a dedicated dance stage where both professionals and up-and-coming talent will take part in as series of dance battles, flaunting both hip hop styles as well as more modern moves.
Festival goers can take part in open dance workshops, where they can learn their favourite 80’s dance moves.
The dance element of this year’s festival will be overseen by bSupreme, an organisation dedicated to nurturing women in hip hop, and Nemesis, a street dance project that runs on four estates in Hackney.
This year’s dance troupes have now been confirmed and will include: Stylinquents, Elementz Ent, High Rollaz and the Dare2Dance Academy.
London based Stylinquents are a group of nine female dancers, aged between 16 and 18. They were the winners of the b.young b.supreme competition.
High Rollaz are a roller-skating dance troupe, composed of four men in their twenties. They have previously appeared on Britain’s Got Talent.
Specialising in hip hop and street dance, Elementz Ent is a collective of dancers from all over the UK. They have competed in The World Hip Hop Championships in Las Vegas.
The Dare2Dance Academy is a project working with girls and women between 14 and 24, encouraging empowerment through the medium of dance.
Other highlights of Streetfest include a live art battle, where artists will have 90 minutes to create a masterpiece, and an introduction to sports such as rollerblading, skateboarding and parkour, through various showcases across the venue.
The event conveniently takes place on Sunday May 5, the day before bank holiday Monday, so anyone who’s busted a move too many will have a whole day to recover.
Read on to check out the moves of some of Streetfest’s b-boy and b-girl performers.
Check out some of the hottest dance crews performing at Streetfest 2013
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