| Since its inception in the late 1970’s, BBoy culture has progressed and transformed tremendously. Bboying has become a uniquely universal dance, transcending all boundaries, of race, gender, nationality, and religion. New styles continue to emerge and the meaning and purpose behind the dance form has become distinct to each individual. As with all cultures, not all change is welcomed or readily accepted, but the irreverent spirit of the dance lives on. It cannot and will not be confined or controlled. Despite their different perspectives on the direction and evolution of the art form, Bboys and Bgirls will always stay true to their love for the dance. Their passion is not a fleeting affair.
The exploitation of BBoy Culture by the Hollywood film industry has taken its toll. Although we are grateful for the consistent work these films provide for our peers, the true nature of Bboying is often watered-down and misrepresented, leaving audiences with a distorted perception of what Bboying really is to those who live it every day. Bboying is a staple of almost every dance film produced, but the Bboy or Bgirl characters have become a cliché. They’re hard, abrasive, egotistical, and always from “the streets.” While the stereotypes are based on certain factions of BBoy Culture, they are not a representative of the whole. I applaud the handful of groundbreaking and truly inspiring BBoy documentaries that have been produced that effectively capture the history, competitive nature, inspiring dynamics, and personal difficulties of these dancers. However, I feel that the depiction of Bboys and Bgirls on film remains fragmented and incomplete.
“BBOY” is intended to show a lighter side to BBoying while still capturing the emotional struggles of an individual trying to define himself within the Culture. I wanted to capture the dreams, disappointments, successes, practices, relationships, chemistry, and conflicts that are the daily reality of every Bboy and Bgirl while creating a film that audiences could relate to. A conscious effort to stay true to BBoy Culture was made, and although the film is based in fiction, it portrays a number of influences and observations from my personal experiences and those of my fellow producers. Bboying has been the medium through which we have all discovered our own true nature and potential, and it is an intrinsic part of who we are. In BBoying we learn to move our bodies in ways that appear to defy the laws of physics. Mastering control of our bodies in order to accomplish these feats and the freedom of expressing ourselves in such an amplified manner empowers us. The confidence and discipline we gain from Bboying encompass all aspects of our lives. We learn to be true to ourselves, and so, BBoy Culture is comprised of a colorful array of diverse characters. By creating this film with a flare of comedy, we wanted to show the humor that is also part of BBoying and who we are as individuals.
The film itself is the story of one Bboy’s journey to self-realization. It is the story of a young man from the mid-west who saw himself as regretfully ordinary, but through his pursuits of a career as a professional Bboy, was able to find confidence in his own uniqueness, talent, and drive. We do not pretend to imply that “BBoy” is an accurate representation of all BBoy Culture, nor do we try to dispel all fallacies surrounding existing clichés, as they also serve their purpose in this film. Our goal was simply to create a film that would provide a broader perspective of BBoy Culture with loveable characters that audiences everywhere could relate to and be inspired by. |
