Bad Taste Cru (BTC) is a professional bboy (breakdance) cru originally from Omagh, Co Tyrone, now based in the UK. BTC is a multifaceted dance company that not only battles at international competition level, but also produces theatre pieces combining bboying with physical theatre and contact work. With many accolades under their belt, including UK Champions, Battle of the Year UK Champs and numerous other titles, BTC have earned respect in the worldwide bboy scene and the dance theatre world. Their work has taken them around the globe to perform in the US, Brazil and Europe, as well as national tours of the UK. Over the years BTC have worked closely with large cultural organisations such as the BBC, Arts Council England, Dance City, Sage Gateshead, Customs House, as well as with a number of commercial clients.

Paul Martin

Paul Martin

Paul ‘P’ Martin is originally from Omagh, Co Tyrone and is the founder member of Bad Taste Cru. Now based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, he has been bboying for 14 years and, with his crew, has a number of titles and accolades under his belt, including UK Bboy Champs 2006, BOTY UK 2008, Bboy Unit 2008, Regional Conflict North 2009, Evolution UK 2010 and Tear it Up Champions 2012.

P continues to battle and perform with Bad Taste Cru and has toured the world doing hip hop theatre performances in the US, Brazil, France, Portugal and Ireland, in addition to UK tours of Bad Taste Cru’s distinctive style of bboy theatre.

Passionate about developing the hip hop community and scene, P is part of the Just Jam Intl team, an internationally respected bboy event, held annually in Newcastle. P is also a keen graffiti artist, vintage toy collector, cat lover and has an interest in all things weird and wonderful.

Barry ‘Bazzy B’ Burke

A native of Mayo, Barry Burke aka Bazzy B has been dancing since 2001 and has been performing and teaching since 2003. He arrived in Limerick in 1998 and completed a BA in Fine Art and has since made Limerick his home. Barry has represented Limerick regionally, nationally and internationally in dance competitions and, along with other hip hop enthusiasts, established Limerockers Cru in 2010. He is also one of the founding members and driving forces behind the “Make a Move” festival, which is a youth focus celebration of hip hop urban culture. He has been very active in promoting positive social change through dance and is leading the Limerick Hip Hop Intervention Project which aims to reduce the segregation of young people from marginalised areas in Limerick, as well as those with disabilities in their communities, by providing hip hop dance classes that both groups of children can enjoy together.

Conor ‘Doke’ O’Kane

Conor O’Kane, aka B-boy Doke, is a dancer, choreographer, artist and a proud member of Bad Taste Cru (BTC) which he co-founded with Paul Martin in 1997-98. Coming from Omagh, County Tyrone, Conor and BTC were inspired and guided by Irish breaking legends the Belfast City Breakers and learned the real values of hip hop such as respect, peace, love, unity and having fun, values which they live by and pass on to others through their involvement in the UK and Irish breaking/hip hop scene.

Conor moved to Newcastle, England, to pursue his dream of becoming a professional dancer and has travelled throughout the UK, Europe and beyond, teaching, performing, competing and learning about hip hop culture. He is the creator of Just Jam International, one of the top bboy events in the UK, a teacher and mentor to Battalionz, an emerging UK breaking crew, and is inspired by those he works with as a choreographer.

“Hip hop changed my life. It gave me sight. It gave me hearing. It gave me movement. It heightened all my senses. It gave me a voice. It gave me life skills, skills to be passed on and shared with others”. Peace and Love.