London Battle will take over Somerset House’s iconic outdoor courtyard for a day packed with showcases, workshops, cyphers, live DJs and a big outdoor party.

Looking for London Battle 2024?

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip hop culture and with Breaking set to be the highlight of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Dance Umbrella and Somerset House are bringing together some of the most exciting talent from the four corners of London to go head-to head across a diverse range of styles.

Curated by choreographer Jade Hackett, who has performed with some of the UK’s leading hip hop dance theatre companies including Boy Blue and ZooNation, you will help the judges to decide which part of our global city brings the best dance flavour – north, south, east or west.

Watch London Battle

The Final: South vs East

Team Introductions

Audience Participation

Performance, Workshop

World Premiere

Venue: Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court, Somerset House

Date: Sat 7 October 2023, from 1pm

  • Admission: Free
  • Duration: 1pm - 6.30pm
  • Access: This is a standing event. BSL interpreted. There will be an access area side of stage for wheelchair users and for good sightlines.

Dance Umbrella Festival 2023 Across London & Online
6-31 October

This event has passed.

Round Robin: Teams +

North vs South

East vs West

South vs West

East vs North

East vs South

West vs North

Round Robin: Captains +

Marvel (South) vs J-Funk (East)

Marvel (South) vs Reckless Lee (West)

J-Funk (East) vs Reckless Lee (West)

Showcases +

Gully South Block (GSB)

The Queens

Lauren Scott

Boy Blue Entertainment

Schedule

Location: Somerset House’s Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court

1 – 3.30pm: Workshops
All abilities welcome!

Turbo (aka Issac Baptise) – House style
Tiago Santos – Waacking
Olu Alatise – Afrobeats
Kloe Dean – Hip Hop

3.30 – 4.30pm: Showcases
A series of performances from some of London’s most exciting dance talent.

Gully South Block (GSB)
The Queens
Lauren Scott
Boy Blue

4.30 – 5.30pm: Battle
Four teams hailing from the four corners of London meet in the middle to slog it out for the London crown. Who will be the best? You help decide!

NORTH
Dat Boi Troy (aka Troy Banton) – Captain
Rory Clarke
b-girl Stefani (aka Anna Ponomarenko)

SOUTH
Marvel (aka Nicholas Marvel) – Captain
b-girl Roxy (aka Roxanne Milliner)
Chaldon Williams

EAST
Jordan ‘JFunk’ Franklin – Captain
Evion Hackett
Toby “Shush” Jackman

WEST
Reckless-Lee (aka Lee Crowley) – Captain
Elise Antonia
b-boy Infante

5.30 – 6.30pm: Party
Once the winners are crowned there will be a celebration of Hip Hop bringing all the elements of the day together in one big party.

DJs featured across the day include: Midnight Train Collective and Josh Constanzo. Our MC for the day is Ashley J.

Timings are subject to change.

Gallery

Evion Hackett, Angelica Brewster and Jade Hackett; credit Camilla Greenwell

  • Evion Hackett, Angelica Brewster and Jade Hackett jumping in front of stone arches at Somerset House.
  • Evion Hackett hanging upside down from railings beneath a stone arch at Somerset House.
  • Angelica Brewster leaping mid-air beneath a stone arch at Somerset House.
  • Evion Hackett, Angelica Brewster and Jade Hackett leaning against stone arches at Somerset House.
  • Jade Hackett posing in front of Somerset House.

About Jade Hackett +

Portrait of Jade Hackett at Somerset House

Credit Camilla Greenwell

Jade Hackett is an experienced choreographer, dancer and actor whose dance theatre productions have included: The Pied Piper, Boy Blue Entertainment, Theatre Royal Stratford East 2006 (playing Da Brat); Blaze, the international tour, Berlin and Dubai tour; Into the Hoodz, ZooNation Dance Company, London and UK tour in 2016 (playing Zapunzel); The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, ZooNation Dance Company, Roundhouse 2016-2017 (playing Queen of Hearts and Cheshire Cat); Some Like it Hip Hop, ZooNation Dance Company, The Peacock Theatre 2019 (playing Kerry).

Her theatre work has included: Hex, National Theatre; associate choreographer for Get Up Stand Up: The Bob Marley West End Musical; Sylvia: The Old Vic; Nine Night, written by Natasha Gordon, Trafalgar Studios, 2019 (playing Aunty Maggie and Lorraine); Black Boys at Apollo Theatre.

Jade has also appeared in several commercial projects including: StreetDance 3D: The Movie, opposing crew; 2010 Adidas advertising campaigns; ASOS collaboration clothing line; London Olympics and Baku European Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies in 2012 and 2015.

About the battlers +

North

Leading the team from the north is Troy Banton aka Dat Boi Troy from the Indahouse family. A house dance specialist, Troy also trained in classical ballet with the Russian ballet school, and in African Caribbean dance forms with Irie Dance Company. He’ll be joined by 19 year-old Rory Clarke, an exciting newcomer who regularly performs with ZooNation and Far From the Norm alongside the talented Anna Ponomarenko aka b-girl Stefani who this year took the silver medal at the European Breaking Championships.

South

The team from the south will be led by Nicholas Marvel (aka Marvel) who is a representative of Monsterz Crew UK. He is known for his signature animatronic popping style and inventive isolations. He’ll be accompanied by Team GB member and Red Bull BC One champion Roxanne Milliner (b-girl Roxy), as well as Chaldon Williams (aka Sev Raven), a choreographer, artist mentor and creator of the Tribe Wayz collective.

East

Representing east London is Jordan ‘JFunk’ Franklin, who has been performing as a member of one of the UK’s most celebrated hip hop dance theatre companies, Boy Blue, for over 10 years. He’ll be joined by dynamic dance artist and international champion Evion Hackett and creative performer Toby “Shush” Jackman.

West

Battling for the title from west London is breaking expert Lee Crowley, also known as Reckless-Lee, who is a member of the award-winning BirdGang Dance Company. He’ll be joined by fellow BirdGang crew member and multi-skilled performer, dancer and teacher Elise Antonia, and Benjamin Banishahi aka Shahi.

Credits +

A Dance Umbrella and Somerset House co-production.

Venue & Access +

Venue

Somerset House
Strand
London
WC2R 1LA

How to get there
Access info

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