Choreographed by Boy Blue co-artistic director Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy, twenty-one dancers aged 18-25 have been working on a new piece of Hip-Hop dance theatre, created alongside the Roundhouse’s Music Production and Poetry collectives. Project rEVOLUTION premieres at this year’s Roundhouse Three Sixty Festival, celebrating youth culture and honouring 25 years of Boy Blue’s groundbreaking impact across the UK and around the world. We spoke with two of the dancers involved to get the inside scoop….
Orson Crane specialises in Hip-Hop and Breaking dance styles, as well as leading classes and workshops for children. In 2025, he toured the UK as part of the National Youth Dance Company and was awarded Student of the Year at House of Wingz dance training and community centre in Blackpool.
Jessica Chiye Warshal specialises in contemporary dance and street dance (particularly Popping). She has danced since the age of two, relocating from Los Angeles to London to dance professionally 3 years ago and graduating from the MA Dance: Performance programme at London Contemporary Dance School at The Place.
What does it mean to you personally to be part of Boy Blue’s 25-year legacy?
Orson: I applied to be part of Project rEVOLUTION because I wanted the consistency of developing my skills and knowledge within the professional industry. It’s also a way to keep doing what I love, exploring my own movement style through Hip-Hop. I followed Boy Blue on social media for a long time and saw them perform live. Now I have experienced first-hand the work that they put into their craft. Knowing their legacy allows me to see what they are looking for for the future, which helps me want to push more for progress and professionalism.
Jessica: Being a part of Boy Blue during their 25th anniversary has been an incredibly empowering experience for me. Boy Blue is a company which honors the roots and foundations of street dance while innovating what street dance theatre can be. I have been wanting to explore the scene in London so I auditioned for Project rEVOLUTION. Working with Boy Blue, and meeting fellow young professionals my age, it seemed like the perfect opportunity!
And big ups to SoCal (Southern California), feeling very proud to represent my home out here in London.
How does Boy Blue’s community ethos shape the way you approach rehearsals and performance?
Orson: I have been dancing since I was about 8 years old, and my first experience of Boy Blue was touring ‘Gravity’ last year (UK and Berlin). They were NYDC’s guest artistic directors. Working with them allows me to walk into the space with both a professional and an open mindset, and focus on my development in a way that feels sustainable. In Blackpool, I’m part of a crew called House of Wingz (@HouseWingz), where community is also right at the centre of what we do. It gives you a place to be together, and to be yourself.
Jessica: Going into this rehearsal process, I was quite intimidated and unsure what to expect as I was new to working with Boy Blue. However, the family ethos in the studio space made the rehearsal process incredibly supportive. Kenrick, Lara McCabe, and Anmol Kaur, our choreographer and rehearsal directors, are always very open with us about the process, listen to our thoughts, continually check in with what we need to assist us. My fellow cast has built a relationship that’s not competitive but collaborative, creating an environment in which we lift each other up so we can succeed as a team. I feel very grateful for this process, as I will be leaving it with new relationships that will go beyond this single performance!
What makes the Roundhouse’s 270-degree space an exciting challenge for this show?
Orson: I have not had much experience performing on a 270-degree stage before so I’m excited. The rehearsal process shows the amount of work and patience required of us, we want to make the performance an entertaining experience for the audience. I’m very happy to be performing in the Roundhouse as I have never performed here till now. I’m excited to meet and work with new people as well as being in London again, having performed at Sadler’s Wells last year.
Jessica: I am very excited to be working in Roundhouse’s 270-degree theatre! I personally love an “in the round” set up, as it feels as though I get to perform more intimately with the audience as they are surrounding the performance. It has been interesting in this work to see how we have navigated creating choreography to interact with the entirety of the audience, as well as how sections were formed with circularity in mind to make the most of this stage.
What do you hope young dancers in the audience take away from seeing Boy Blue on stage?
Orson: Dancing has helped me find my confidence, self-respect, and given me new pathways in life. I hope that this performance lights a spark in young people to keep pushing and chasing what they are wanting or looking for within their passion.
No matter what young people have going on in their lives, dance brings the community together.
Jessica: I hope young dancers who see this production feel inspired to continue to follow their own creative goals and dreams, whether in street dance or outside of it. Even as a professional, I still feel as though I am at the beginning of my journey with dance, and working with Boy Blue has given me new tools, knowledge, and inspiration which will fuel me as an artist. I hope that anyone watching this performance can feel our hope and power as both Boy Blue dancers and creative individuals, and keep pushing towards what they are passionate about in life.
What have you learned from dancing under Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy’s choreography?
Orson: Working with Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy, is amazing because he is very professional with his work and passion which inspires me. The ways that Boy Blue rehearse and teach, so calm and dedicated, I hope to become just like them one day.
Jessica: Something I admire about Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy’s choreography is his dedication not just to creative choreography, but also to the dramaturgy of his performances. Throughout our piece, we explore many different themes and topics relating to different elements of life and eras of street dance. I have appreciated witnessing his integrity to the themes we are exploring and how he develops them, choreographs them, shares them with us, and challenges us to authentically perform them. It’s this type of mindset with choreography which has elevated Boy Blue to such a high status of street dance theatre in the UK, and it’s been an honor to witness and be a part of.
Follow on instagram: @Orson.Crane @ChiyeSeed @BoyBlue_UK @RoundhouseLDN
Celebrating Boy Blue’s 25th anniversary, Project rEVOLUTION is part of Roundhouse Three Sixty Festival. The premiere is on 12 April 2026 at 2.30pm, and will also be the curtain raiser for that evening’s performance of Cycles. Tickets from £5 https://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/project-revolution/