HIP-HOP šokio festivalis Urban Essentials '25

We 2025-11-12 - Su 2025-11-16
International Hip Hop Dance Festival Urban Essentials, which has now become an annual event, is dedicated to gathering and celebrating the diversity of hip hop dance and culture.
The program includes: Hip Hop, House, Breaking and Funk styles (Waacking, Popping, Locking) 2vs2 dance battles, dance workshops, a symposium, hip hop dance performances, open discussions, guest showcases, and parties.
 
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FESTIVAL GUESTS:
 
DJs:
DJ Renegade (UK) 
DJ Lucas Benjamin (NL) 
DJ Plash (PL)
 
MCs:
Toki Wright (USA) 
Beep (LT) 
 
JUDGES (2vs2):
Poe One 
Lindsay (FR) 
Kimbo (IT) 
Jikay (FR) 
Eugenius BB (LT) 
 
PRIZES AND PRIZE FUND:
4000 eur. and sponsors‘ gifts.
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SPECTATOR TICKETS FOR BATTLES EVENTS: €20 first day, €20 second day, €35 both days

PARTICIPANT TICKETS: €20 one category, €30 two or more categories
BATTLE REGISTRATION: https://and8.dance/en/e/5280/live
 
From NOVEMBER 10 participant and spectator ticket prices will increase by €5.

PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION CLOSES on NOVEMBER 12 at 23:59.
 
After registration closes, it will no longer be possible to sign up for dance battles. Participant tickets will not be sold at the door on the event day.
**All participants must register for the event and purchase a participant ticket.
**Participants who do not pass the preliminaries on the first day may attend the second day’s battles (with participant wristband) free of charge. A separate spectator ticket is not required.

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FULL PROGRAM:
 
NOVEMBER 12-17th
Theatre performances, symposium, 2vs2 dance battles, open discussions, guests performances, Hip Hop, House, Breaking, Popping and Waacking dance workshops with guests from France, Denmark, Spain, and USA.
 
>NOVEMBER 12th:

19:00-20:30
Opening of the festival.
Breaking theatre show brought by Cie Chara (Morocco): HIT 7AYT (because of the wall) 🇲🇦
Idea, choreography: Yassine Alaoui Ismaili ir Friederike Frost.
Performance: Houssein Ait Belbaz, Mohamed Bouriri, Mohammed Guechri, Othman Oubella
Time: 19:00
Venue: Lithuanian music and theatre academy (Olandų g. 21A, Vilnius), black box.
TICKETS: soon
 
>NOVEMBER 13th:

10:00-12:00
Symposium | Crossfade: From Knowledge to Creation in Hip-Hop Studies
Speakers:
Jonzi D (Breakin' Convention, Sadler’s Wells, U.K.) 
Toki Wright (Berklee music academy, 2 Emmy awards winner, USA) 
Dj Lucas Benjamin (Wicked wax music, Ghetto funk collective, NL) 
Airida Gudaitė (Low Air, LMTA, LT) 
Venue: Lithuanian music and theatre academy (Olandų g. 21A, Vilnius).
ENTRANCE: free (with registration soon)
 
19:00-20:10
Breaking theatre show brought by Cie Chara (Morocco): ATLAS 
Idea, choreography: Yassine Alaoui Ismaili ir Friederike Frost
Performance: Houssein Ait Belbaz, Mohamed Bouriri, Mohammed Guechri, Othman Oubella
Time: 19:00
Locking theatre show brought by As Compagnie (France): QUATRE:TROIS 🇫🇷
Choreography and performance: Andrège Bidiamambu, Seren Kano, As Compagnie
Time: 19:40
Venue: Lithuanian music and theatre academy (Olandų g. 21A, Vilnius), black box.
TICKETS: soon
 
>NOVEMBER 14th:

10:00-12:00
Lecture + pannel discussion
ENTRANCE: free (with registration soon)
 
16:00-21:00.
Warm up cypher spot with DJ Intriga (LT) 
Venue: Lukiškės Prison 2.0 (Lukiškių skg. 6, Vilnius), The dome/Kupolas.
 
17:00-22:00
A day dedicated to the 2vs2 BATTLE preselections for all dance styles.
2vs2 Hip Hop preselection
2vs2 Breaking preselection
2vs2 House preselection
2vs2 Funk styles preselections*
*Funk styles – one categorie, for all Funk styles (popping, waacking, locking). Different Funk styles dancers can team up and participate together (for example: two dancers, one representing popping, other locking dance style).
Time: 17:00 (Doors open at 16:00)
Venue: Lukiškės Prison 2.0 (Lukiškių skg. 6, Vilnius), The Church/Cerkvė.
 
>NOVEMBER 15th:

10:00-11:30
Workshop: HOUSE | Mavinga (BE/CD)
Venue: Low Air dance school (Gedimino av. 2A, 3 floor, Vilnius)
 
13:00-19:00
A day dedicated to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals of all dance styles.
TOP 8 / TOP 4 / FINALS
2vs2 House | Breaking | Funk styles | Hip-Hop
GUESTS PERFORMANCE
Time: 13:00 (Doors open at 12:00)
Venue: Lukiškės prison (Lukiškių skg. 6, Vilnius), The Church/Cerkvė
 
FESTIVAL GUESTS:
DJs:
DJ Renegade (UK) 
DJ Lucas Benjamin (NL) 
DJ Plash (PL) 
 
MCs:
Toki Wright (USA) 
Beep (LT) 
 
JUDGES (2vs2):
Poe One 
Lindsay (FR) 
Mavinga (BE/CD) 
Jikay (FR) 
Eugenius BB (LT) 
 
PRIZES AND PRIZE FUND:
4000 eur. and sponsors‘ gifts.
 
>NOVEMBER 16th:

10:00-17:00
Workshops:
10:00-11:30 POPPING | Jikay (FR) 
11:45-13:15 LOCKING | As Compagnie (FR) 
13:30-15:00 HIP HOP | Lindsay (FR) 
15:15-16:45 BREAKING | Poe One 
Venue: Low Air dance school (Gedimino av. 2A, 3 floor, Vilnius)
 
18:00-19:30
Closing of the festival.
House dance theatre show brought by Marina Pravkina (Spain): GROOVE EXPERIENCE 
Idea, choreography, performances: Marina Pravkina
Time: 18:00
Venue: Lithuanian music and theatre academy (Olandų g. 21A, Vilnius), black box.
TICKETS: soon
 
>NOVEMBER 17th:

19:00-20.30
Workshop: JAZZ FUSION | Marina Pravkina (ES) 
Venue: Low Air dance school (Gedimino av. 2A, 3 floor, Vilnius)
 
PRICES FOR THE WORKSHOPS:
1 workshop: 25€
2 workshops: 45€
every additional +15€
 
*Payment for the workshops via bank transfer until November 13th.
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This event is partially funded by: Vilnius city municipality, Lithuanian council for culture, Germany Embassy in Lithuania, British Council, Spain Embassy in Lithuania, Institute of France in Vilnius, Vytautas.
 
We say: “Peace, love, unity and having fun!”
See you soon in Vilnius!