Blumenthal Performing Arts to Present Hip Hop Festival BREAKIN' CONVENTION 2017

Blumenthal Performing Arts' international festival of hip hop dance theater returns to Charlotte this fall with an all-new slate of dance stars from around the world and around the corner.

Direct from London's Sadler's Wells Theatre, Breakin' Convention 2017 will take place Oct. 13 - 14 at Knight Theater. In addition to the main stage performances, free activities for all ages will be outside on the Levine Avenue of the Arts before the shows and during intermission.

"We're thrilled to bring Breakin' Convention back to Charlotte for a third consecutive year," said Blumenthal Performing Arts President and CEO Tom Gabbard. "The continued success we've had in both celebrating hip hop culture and introducing it to new audiences has even inspired other cities around the country to follow in the Queen City's footsteps."

Tickets for Breakin' Convention 2017 start at $20 and are on sale now. Main stage performances begin at 7:30 p.m. with preshow activities beginning at 5:00 p.m. both nights of the festival. Visit BlumenthalArts.org or call 704-372-1000 for complete details and pricing.

One of Britain's hottest annual events, Breakin' Convention 2017 sets out to break the mold, taking the energy and athleticism of street hip hop and fusing it with the theatrical values of the theater. This year's festival lineup includes the Soweto Skeleton Movers (South Africa), Salah (France), Yeah Yellow (France), Protocol (U.K.) and Femme Fatale (U.S.), plus the work of Charlotte's best graffiti artists who will paint the Knight Theater's interior columns with custom works for the festival. Learn more about the international dance crews here.

In addition to the main stage performances, Breakin' Convention 2017 will take the community inside hip hop culture with FREE preshow activities and entertainment, including DJs, dancing, graffiti painting and more on the Levine Avenue of the Arts. Free lunchtime performances will also take place the week leading up to the festival on the Levine Avenue of the Arts, Mon. - Fri., 11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. All Levine Avenue of the Arts events are open to the public.

Starting at 12 p.m. on Oct. 15, the festival will wrap up with Street Jam at Spirit Square (345 N. College St.). The final event is free fun for the whole family, with live DJs, cyphers, dance workshops and more to celebrate the closing of Breakin' Convention 2017.

Blumenthal Performing Arts serves the Carolinas as a leading cultural, entertainment and education provider. For more information, call (704) 372-1000 or visit BlumenthalArts.org. Blumenthal Performing Arts receives operating support from the Arts & Science Council and North Carolina Arts CounciL. Blumenthal Performing Arts is also supported by PNC Bank, sponsor of the PNC Broadway Lights.

To post a comment, you must register and login.