GROOVE at Southbank Centre: A Weekend Time-Trip Through Funk, Soul and Street Dance

0 Shares

This weekend, the Southbank Centre will take you on a nostalgic journey with the UK premiere of GROOVE, running from Thursday, June 4 to Saturday, June 6. This high-energy dance concert is designed for anyone who longs for the excitement and energy of a real night out.

Rooted in the spirit of the music legends such as James Brown, Nina Simone, and Herbie Hancock — GROOVE doesn’t just nod to the past. It pulls you straight into it, threading together funk, soul, hip-hop, house, and everything that’s grown from those foundations over the last 50 years. The result is part concert, part dance explosion: a full-bodied celebration of rhythm, culture, and movement.

Showcasing The Ghetto Funk Collective alongside world-renowned breaking crew The Ruggeds (Battle Of The Year Crew Champions 2025), the show brings together some of the most exciting dancers and musicians working today. And the magic here is that nobody stays in their lane. The dancers don’t simply dance, and the musicians don’t simply play — they respond, improvise, and build something live in the moment. Expect spectacular movement, sharp musicality, and those blink-and-you-miss-it moments where the whole room seems to catch fire at once.

At the heart of the experience is The Ghetto Funk Collective from Amsterdam — a family of creatives connected by their shared love of funk culture. Together, they create a sound and movement language that feels both timeless and completely fresh, blending precision with playfulness, and discipline with pure joy. If you’re heading down on Saturday, 6 June, the energy spills outside the theatre too. The Ruggeds will be taking over the Riverside Terrace for a free day of dance, music and good times, including a dance battle where the winner earns a coveted spot at Notorious IBE, the international hip-hop dance festival. Registration is now open online (HERE). For further information, please visit the Southbank Centre website.

Photography by Emile Vrolijk, courtesy of the Southbank Centre

(Visited 5 times, 5 visits today)

About Author

David Emmanuel Noel

David Emmanuel Noel is an avid blogger, film fanatic, art enthusiast, music lover, and theatergoer. He is an interdisciplinary artist, curator, and PR consultant who has been involved in several music events and visual art exhibitions at venues such as the Kennedy Center Washington DC, Bernie Grant Arts Centre London, the Landmark Arts Building New York, and Whole 9 Gallery in Culver City, California. He has worked closely with institutes, professional bodies, and agencies such as the Royal Institute of British Architects, New York Mayor’s Office, CAMBA- the New York-based agency, the NSPCC, and several London Boroughs on projects supporting the environmental and therapeutic benefits of the arts. He is based in London and New York.

See author's posts