I once called Tony Mills the hardest working man in Scottish dance - mainly because he splits his time between being a hip-hop maestro and a contemporary choreography power-house. Given that his Room 2 Manoeuvre incarnation has been supported by Made in Scotland to rock the Fringe at Zoo Venues, and that he is making an appearance at Breakin' Convention 12 when it reaches Scotland, this might be an example of my cheeky catch-phrases being vaguely accurate.
Skills aside, Mills is always a convivial interviewee. His enthusiasm for both b-boy action and more traditional forms is infectious, and his costume at BC is always a talking point. I bothered him for a Skinny article last month, but he was so entertaining and informative, I thought I would pop the transcript up here...
Are you hosting or performing at Breakin' Convention this year?
I am hosting along side an equally big personality in the shape of Breakin' Convention mastermind Jonzi D. This year BC goes to Eden court to show the highlanders how they get down.
My banter is seen as a worthy addition to the mix so i'll be joining them on this road trip via a dip in loch ness. I won't be getting my groove on with the local acts as much of my time is spent checking on their progress and organising foyer activities and the all important after party.
I will, however, be performing at part of the improvised freestyle funk forum for Breakin' Convention in London from the 5-7th May and Room 2 Manoeuvre is hatching big plans for the summer...watch this space!
Which outfits are you most looking forward to this year? And I don't mean your outfit, I mean crews - and why?
Without being too much of a cop out i would have to say all of them. Every time BC comes to Scotland it is a huge catalyst for local groups to get in the studio and start creating. It makes a huge difference when you have something to aim for with regards to a performance and even more so when it is such a huge platform as BC.
Stalwarts of the scene, Random Aspekts are teaming up with new kids on the block, Heavy Smokers, to present a mix of smooth moves, suits and soul singing. All girl B-Girl outfit, Ready Ready Sauce are using social issues that concern their daily lives as the source of inspiration for their new piece. Edinburgh based Jackin' The Box choreographer Ashley Jack was recently part of BC's Back to the Lab programme. This was set up to develope the skills of emmerging choreographers working in the hip hop genre. I'm keen to see what she will bring to the stage after being part of such an experience. Audiences will get a taste of what is possibly a more minority form of hip hop/funk dance styles from locking group, Rockabeat.
And this time it's not an all Scottish affair as Sana Crew's Rice 'n' Peas and place prize nominees Bad Taste Cru take to the festival theatre stage. Both of these groups reside in Newcastle. The international acts are going to be really exciting and will showcase highly technical hip hop/breaking from current Battle of the Year champions, Vagabonds, with a more conceptual take from Clash 66. Both companies are an example of how hip hop dance in the theatre is not just a novelty but that these artists bring a world class level of skill, commitment and creativity to the genre.
I might be obsessed with the performances on the stage, but BC is about a great deal more than that - how can people get more into the groove when BC hits the EFT?
From Day 1 BC has always been about trying to take the vibe from the street into the theatre. With this in mind foyer activity is given just as much importance as that which happens on stage. As soon as the doors open people can expect local DJs spinning and drummers drumming for dancers on the open floor. If you want to learn how to top rock, drop, footwork into freeze there will be workshops on offer from local dancers.
Or if art on paper is more your thing, we'll also have graffiti artists in the house to show how to bag your tag. And don't forget to look out for free giveaways throughout the evening. We'll also have live performances from fife hip hop crews UNIK and WOTT crew.
The reach of hip hop is now global - what nations are starting to come to the fore these days?
In terms of the battle scene really the level is pretty high across the board. There are more competitions these days and also it's easier to travel internationally. The internet allows footage to blaze around the world and all this helps to push the scene and the dancers. On the theatre front, i still think France leads the way. They have been producing work in this genre for many years and have a good infrastructure in place to support such artists.
At home, the scene is definitely moving forward. Even in terms of perception by the industry. This year companies such as BC, Champloo, Avant Garde and Room 2 Manoeuvre (ahem!) appeared on the British Dance Edition programme. So it's encouraging that work within this genre is seen as part of the dance fabric of the UK. BC is also doing their bit to develope choreographic talent through their back to the lab programme and supporting collaborations involving UK artists.
And why aren't Flawless on the bill, then?
Too busy milking the commercial industry for all it's worth...quite right too.
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