Try a bit of hip bop

Hip Festival

Calling your own festival Hip is an invitation to disaster but, under the inspired leadership of Brenda Edwards, this prime selection of top black dance talent looks more than likely to live up to its cool billing.

Now in its third year, the performance line-up for this season's Hip is the strongest yet, covering a wide range of styles and featuring a clutch of top performers. The event kicks off tonight with Homage, a welcome tribute to the remarkable story of Les Ballets Negres, Britain's unsung black dance pioneers.

Wednesday features a double-bill shared by striking soloists Jane Sekonya and Boyzie Cekwana, while Thursday sees the welcome return of the cherishably eccentric Colin Poole, one of the off-beat delights of the British dance circuit.

His Hip-commissioned solo shares a bill with Ballet Soul, a young company dedicated to fusing classical techniques with streetwise emotions.

But the potential highlight of the first week arrives on Friday, the first of two nights when you can catch a preview of a new work by Rafael Bonachela; the Barcelona-born choreographer who created the moves for Kylie's Fever tour, a favour she returned by appearing in 21, a piece Bonachela made for Rambert.

He's sharing a bill with David Brown, a former principal with the Martha Graham Dance Company.