Before seeing Planet B-Boy, I admit it: I was a philistine. Like most of the world, my exposure to breakdancing was limited to the background dancers in Britney Spears’ videos and that one episode of 90210 when Steve visited the Bronx.

 

I didn’t know that breakdancing (or B-Boy) culture is alive and quite literally kicking today, and that its athletes are some of the most dedicated and single-mindedly passionate in the world. Most of all, I knew nothing about Battle of the Year, the annual B-Boy content held in Germany which forms the backdrop to the film. Planet B-Boy follows five of the teams vying for the top prize at Battle of the Year, along the way filling out a bit of hip-hop history and explanations of B-Boy culture for the uninitiated.

 

 

Like any good subculture doco, Planet B-Boy works by establishing a personal connection between those spinning on their heads and the viewer. The stories of these crews is often surprisingly heart-warming, and it’s difficult not to find yourself caught up in the emotional swell, expertly spun together by director Benson Lee in his first documentary. Best of all are the bemused families of the dancers, who are proud of their little B-Boys even if they don’t know exactly what the B stands for.

 

 

Most interesting is Lee’s exploration of the national character of these teams from everywhere from the US to France to South Korea. To hear about and see all these subtle differences between the crews’ styles (Japan is inventive, but France has the passion, &tc) really displays the depth of breakdancing and its tendency to skip all over the lines between being a ‘sport’ and an ‘art’.

 

The advantage of a doco focusing on breakdancing is that it’s pretty incredible to watch even if you do happen to be an ignorant philistine. The movie is packed with moments that will make you lean slightly forward in your chair and whisper anxiously “…is he still spinning on his head?” Still, there’s a very delicate balance between showing enough breakdancing action to sate the hunger of B-Boy fanatics and showing too much that it will bore casual viewers. Planet B-Boy probably tilts a little too much in favour of the former, particularly in the closing stages where the teams do battle for the final gong.

 

Nevertheless, Planet B-Boy is quickly paced and aided along by a great soundtrack from a smattering of hip hop legends. The obsession of these dancers with their art, and their earnest desire to communicate why they love breakdancing is infectious – and I for one am glad that I’m no longer a flithy, filthy philistine.