Hip Hop culture festival URBAN ESSENTIALS 2023
We bow our heads and take a bow—HIP-HOP culture, which has shaped us, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year!
2013–2023 – After a 10-year hiatus, the international street dance festival Urban Essentials is back.
About the festival:
A FEW NOTABLE NAMES AND INTERESTING FACTS:
In the summer of 1973, a 16-year-old immigrant from Jamaica named Clive Campbell—who would later adopt the stage name Kool Herc—changed pop culture forever. At 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, Kool Herc threw a birthday party for his little sister, which he called the “Back to School Jam.” It is said that this was the first-ever hip-hop party.
“The first party was epic. After that, everyone tried to recreate the energy of that night.” (Grandmaster Caz, leader of the group “The Cold Crush Brothers”).
In the fall of 1974, Kevin Donovan, who later called himself Afrika Bambaataa, began uniting the gangs in an effort to reduce the rampant violence among them. Bambaataa started recruiting the most creative graffiti artists and breakdancers into the gangs. Thus was born the first hip-hop subculture community, “The Universal Zulu Nation,” whose core principles were perfectly encapsulated by the slogan: “Peace, Unity, Love, and Having Fun.”
2023: Lukiškės Prison 2.0, a place undergoing transformation in the heart of Vilnius. From a place of incarceration to a cultural space that fosters creativity. Lukiškių Prison 2.0 represents a transformation that we sorely lack today. It is a new approach to culture, creativity, heritage, activation, sustainability, synergy, and a vibrant infrastructure.
DJ Tomche (LT)
DJ Lucas Benjamin (NL)
MC Beep (LT)
MC Great (LT)
Jimmy Yudat / Hip-Hop (FR)
Kashmir / House (U.K)
Doma / Waacking (PL)
The fifth judge’s seat will be filled by a prominent Lithuanian public figure who is not from the world of dance.
PROGRAM. NOVEMBER 24–26
Dance battles, open discussions, guest performances, a dance show, and Hip-Hop, House, Breaking, and Waacking dance workshops with guests from France, the United Kingdom, Poland, and the Netherlands.
NOVEMBER 24:
A day dedicated to battles in all dance styles and a party.
> 5:30 PM 2vs2 House battles
> 7:00 PM 2vs2 Breaking battles
Time: 5:30 PM–9:00/10:00 PM (Doors open at 4:00 PM)
Location: Lukiškių kalėjimas 2.0 (Lukiškių skg. 6, Vilnius) – Kupolas/Žiedas.
> 8:00 PM 2vs2 Funk styles* (popping, waacking, locking) auditions
> 9:00 PM 2vs2 Hip-Hop auditions
Time: 8:00 PM–11:00 PM
Location: Lukiškių Prison 2.0 (Lukiškių skg. 6, Vilnius), What A Jazz dance studio
*Funk styles – a single category for all Funk styles (popping, waacking, locking). Dancers of different Funk styles may team up and participate together (e.g., two dancers, one representing popping and the other locking).
> 10:00 PM Social Party
This day is dedicated to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals of all dance styles.
TOP 8 / TOP 4 / FINALS
GUEST PERFORMANCES.
> 4:00 PM 2vs2 Funk styles | House | Hip-Hop | Breaking / TOP 8, TOP 4
> 2vs2 Funk styles | House | Hip-Hop | Breaking / FINALS
Time: 4:00 PM–9:00 PM (Doors open at 3:00 PM)
Location: Lukiškių Prison 2.0 (Lukiškių skg. 6, Vilnius) – Cerkvė.
> 10:00 PM Social Party
Starting NOVEMBER 20, participant tickets will cost €5 more.
PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE ON NOVEMBER 22 at 11:59 PM
Once registration closes, it will no longer be possible to register for the dance battles.
Participant tickets will not be sold at the door on the day of the event.
**All participants must register for the event and have a participant ticket.
**Participants who do not pass the auditions on the first day may watch the dance battles on the second day (with a participant wristband) for free. There is no need to purchase a separate spectator ticket.
**Please note that auditions will take place simultaneously in two venues, so the audition schedule may vary depending on the number of participants. Participants may enter more than one category; however, the event organizers are not responsible if auditions for the selected styles overlap due to a large number of participants.
The day is dedicated to workshops and a performance.
> Workshops:
11:00 AM–12:30 PM BREAKING. Pluto (UA)
1:00 PM–2:30 PM HIP-HOP. Jimmy Yudat (FR)
3:00 PM–4:30 PM WAACKING. Doma (PL)
5:00 PM–6:30 PM HOUSE. Kashmir (UK)
REGISTRATION: STOPPED
Location: Low Air Dance School (Gedimino pr. 2A, 3rd floor, Vilnius)
WORKSHOP PRICES:
1 workshop – 20 EUR.
2 workshops – 40 EUR.
3 workshops – 50 EUR.
4 workshops – 60 EUR.
Payment for workshops at Low Air Dance School by card or cash before the workshop.
> Street dance performance VYRSMAS
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: Lukiškės Prison (Lukiškės skg. 6, Vilnius) – Kupolas/Žiedas.
We say: “Peace, love, unity, and having fun!”
See you soon!
