“There can be few people to whom British hip hop dancing owes a greater debt than choreographer Kenrick Sandy & composer Michael Asante” Evening Standard
Founded in east London, 2001 by composer Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante, MBE and choreographer Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy, MBE, Boy Blue is the radical force that has defined the potential and power of hip-hop dance theatre across the UK since starting out.
"Dazzling choreographic invention and a sensational dancing spirit, Boy Blue was a total knockout”
The Times
"There can be few people to whom British hip hop dancing owes a greater debt than choreographer Kenrick Sandy & composer Michael Asante"
Evening Standard
“Their sheer stagecraft, and the balance of individual emotional expression with mighty ensemble sequences, is simply unparalleled” **** The Telegraph
Our 2025 Takeover featured two sold-out shows of A Night With Boy Blue: Generation Blue hosted by Sir Ashley J, two days of foyer performances from affiliate companies hosted by Syxx Isaac, a panel talk 'Hip-hop Matters' and a battle.
Cycles is movement at its most fluid, distilled and skilled. Joyful and unapologetic, Boy Blue's latest production is a tenacious exploration of hip hop dance in all its forms. Experience the connection between the movement on stage and the rhythm, groove and bounce of the music, as nine powerful dancers fill the space in what feels like unending motion.
A triumphant celebration of the shared pleasures of dance ***** - The Independent
In 1999, we were offered a simple choice: red pill or blue pill? Blissful ignorance in a simulated world or a chance to follow the rabbit hole wherever it goes… The Matrix made us question reality. What is “human”? Who is really in control? When will we wake up, see through the illusion and step into the unknown? Combining hip-hop choreography with the latest immersive design, Free Your Mind took audiences on a thrilling journey through The Matrix and into a new realm of possibilities.
Co-created by Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante, Danny Boyle, Es Devlin, Sabrina Mahfouz and Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy. The filmed version was aired on BBC 2 and the iPlayer.
All life is balance. With happiness and light must come darkness. REDD is a dance theatre production about those irreversible moments in life and how they can affect us in different ways. Audiences are invited to take a leap into the void, as nine dancers begin an introspective journey exploring how, after trauma, we may find inner peace.
Intrigued by how the mind seeks to put things in order (from the Gaelic verb ‘redd’), Boy Blue contrast a lo-fi hip-hop score with powerful choreography.
Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante, composer and co-founder of Boy Blue, combines hip-hop and video for his piece Outliers, a multimedia meditation on social, public and political consciousness.
Dedicated to the ‘outliers’ that give the composition its title – those that inadvertently change other people’s points of view by standing up for what they believe in – Outliers is at least in part inspired by Asante’s own life experience. It’s a piece that combines music and video, as Asante is joined by an ensemble of musicians.
Outliers was part of the Barbican’s 2018 Season, The Art of Change, which explores how artists respond to, reflect and affect change in the social and political landscape.
R.E.B.E.L is a rallying call for solidarity in action. Co-funded by ART50 and the Barbican, it aims to respond to challenging questions around cultural identity, what it means to belong to a community and how we deal with our feelings of powerlessness.
Featuring music by Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante and choreography by Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy.
Project R.E.B.E.L was performed at Castlebrae High School as part of Edinburgh International Festival, Saffron Hall, the Barbican and Latitude Festival and is studied by conservatoires in the UK.
Fierce, bold and affecting, this galvanising hip-hop dance triple bill reflects themes of identity, oppression and transcendence in a performance of pure physical poetry.
The time is right to ask questions, to break free from the inner tension of a system that isn’t working, and to emerge on the other side to an awakening – a return to roots, a celebration of culture.
Blak Whyte Gray premiered at the Barbican in 2017 and toured the UK, US, Asia and Europe
Blak Whyte Gray was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production.
The Five and the Prophecy of Prana, a narrative dance piece with an original story combining hip hop, manga and martial arts. Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy (Choreographer) and Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante (Composer) are joined by award-winning Japanese manga artist Akio Tanaka.
The plot revolves around five young troublemakers are sent to a rehabilitation camp for young offenders, following their arrest for delinquent behaviour.
Co-commissioned by the Barbican, London and Derry ~ Londonderry City of Culture 2013, co-produced by the Barbican and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg.
As part of the Roundhouse’s Three Sixty Festival, Boy Blue are bringing Cycles to the Roundhouse. Restaged for the Roundhouse’s unique 270-degree space. Cycles honours the venue's deep connection to live music. Watch this space.
OCTOBER 2025
As part of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s Dance Takeover, Boy Blue will be putting on an epic evening show, ‘Boy Blue In The Park’, alongside a workshop and pre-show DJ.
JULY 2025
From the 9-11 May 2025, there was a Boy Blue Takeover at the Barbican. Featuring two sold-out shows of A Night With Boy Blue in the main theatre, we also hosted foyer performances, a panel talk and a battle.
MAY 2025
Boy Blue are excited to be partnering with Dancers’ Career Development and ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company on the 2025 SHIFT Hip-Hop programme.
APRIL 2025
For 2025, Olivier Award-winning hip hop dance theatre company Boy Blue has been appointed as Guest Artistic Director of the National Youth Dance Company. Their production Gravity premieres in Leeds in April.
MARCH 2025
Elevate your artistry with an in-depth exploration of Cycles repertoire. Workshops are available to book now!
FEBRUARY 2025
The spirit in which Boy Blue was formed came from the 3 E’s - ‘Education, Enlightenment and Entertainment’.
Boy Blue works towards empowering UK-based hip hop artists to make, create, perform and teach on a global level. Our multi-generational, multi-cultural nature is an energising and radical force. We are working towards a thriving inclusive hip hop dance theatre scene.
Since 2001, many people have contributed to the growth of Boy Blue and the value system in which we work today. You can join our movement by supporting us as, collectively, we can make amazing things happen!
By donating you are helping us to support the running of our east London training Academy, developing young artists and teachers.
