What is Breaking Bach? 

Breaking Bach is a bold new dance production from award-winning choreographer Kim Brandstrup that fuses Bach’s Baroque brilliance with contemporary hip-hop. Created in collaboration with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, students from North London’s Acland Burghley School, and a group of professional dancers, this mashup of formal 18th-century instruments and energetic 1970s Bronx street-style hip-hop proves that when old meets new, sparks don’t just fly, they breakdance. 

Breaking Bach is more than a mashup; it’s an experiment in rhythm, community building, and innovation. In this creative collaboration, visionary choreographer Kim Brandstrup explores Bach’s Double Violin Concerto and his Third Brandenburg Concerto, unlocking the pulse beneath Bach’s counterpoint and setting it into motion. 

As Brandstrup explains, “The musicians of the OAE and I are facilitating this meeting of a group of street dancers and Bach. We are helping the dancers ‘break the code’ of some of the complex music—while encouraging the dancers to break any stylistic rule in the book in order to respond and enjoy the rhythmical power of Bach’s music.” 

The experience was transformative. When they first started the project, the young dancers had never heard of Bach or his music. Yet, as rehearsals unfolded, they discovered that Bach and hip-hop share a rhythmic DNA.

The world premiere of Breaking Bach at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival confirmed that this unlikely pairing isn’t just an experiment, but a revelation. According to The Guardian, “the Usher Hall was packed to the rafters, with many young people in the audience for this one-night-only premiere.” It was clear that after just one performance, the unexpected fit between Bach’s rhythmic complexity and breakdance was, as The Observer put it, “utterly wonderful.”

Why we love Breaking Bach. 

At Marquee TV, we see that some of the most exciting art is created at the crossroads of tradition and innovation. Breaking Bach not only introduces hip-hop lovers to Bach (and Bach lovers to hip-hop), but it also empowers the next generation of creatives by giving students the chance to contribute to a professional production. 

Marquee TV was introduced to the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment by our Director of Performing Arts, Susannah Simons. As Susannah shared, “I have been associated with the OAE in one way or another for nearly 20 years. They have always been an extraordinary Orchestra, but nothing they have done prepared me for the explosion of creativity that came as a result of their residency at Acland Burghley school. For an orchestra of this size and calibre to be based in a north London comprehensive school, for them to rehearse there on a regular basis and to engage with the students in a number of ways, is a lesson for us all on the huge benefits of enabling young people to access art and music at the highest level.  Breaking Bach is just the first of a number of groundbreaking projects, and I am thrilled to have been able to introduce both the Orchestra and the piece to Marquee TV’s audiences.”

We are so inspired by the OAE’s connection to the community and the creativity that has flourished from their residency at the Acland Burghley School. This project is a shining example of what happens when education, artistry, and imagination come together, and we’re proud to give these students a world stage to showcase their talents. 

For us, Breaking Bach isn’t just a performance, it’s a movement. As Cecilia Beacon, the VP of Content and Marketing, explains, “We’re especially excited about highlighting new creative hybrids that blend traditional and contemporary art forms, offering our diverse digital audiences something unique that can appeal across the age ranges. Breaking Bach is innovative, purposeful, and inspiring.”  

Great art doesn’t belong to one genre, one generation, or one tradition; it belongs to everyone willing to listen, move, and create. 

Where can you see Breaking Bach? 

If you missed their sold-out show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, you’re in luck. The full filmed performance will be streaming exclusively on Marquee TV this fall.  

Whether you’re a Bach aficionado, a hip-hop devotee, or someone who loves to see boundary-breaking art, this is one dance performance you won’t want to miss. 

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