NG83, a documentary that has been in production for seven years was released last November at Broadway cinema. Claude Knight, Luke Scott and Sam Cooper have been working painstakingly to create a film that documents eighties breakdance culture in Nottingham. The film focuses upon the lives of five former members of the breakdance scene, who tell the story through their own eyewitness accounts.
We are given an incredibly intimate look into the lives of those involved in breakdance culture; into their homes, workplace and family lives. This perspective gives the film a unique third dimension where we as the audience feel part of the process. The cinematography helps to tell the dancer’s story as it fixates onto ornaments and points of interest which symbolise their characteristics and lives. For a film with such a low budget it’s clear to see that not a penny has gone to waste.
The film pivots around a piece of archive footage depicting a dance performance by an American breakdance crew by the name of WFLA. In 1983 the crew came to Nottingham to perform in the Old Market Square, swarms of people came to view the spectacle. “Breakdance crews existed before the WFLA performance but never in the same way. Seeing what could be done made it real,” states Claude Knight. The routines and moves that were showcased that day kick started a plethora of breakdance crews around Nottingham; one of the most prominent being the Rock City Crew. At this point the film changes dramatically from a bleak outlook of Thatcher's Britain into the explosion of breakdance talent stemming from youths living in working class neighbourhoods.
Each of the five dancers documented in NG83 describe the breakdance phenomenon from a different perspective. The film looks at the community which formed around Rock City (one of the UK’s largest clubs at that time) where crews from all over the UK came to compete. One of the dancers that competed was Rock City veteran, Dancing Danny, who was part of the Roc-A-Trons. Danny plays an integral role into the film's development as he explains the doors that breakdancing opened for a lot of kids, it allowed them to take pride in their dancing and make money. What’s interesting about NG83 is that it has come out of a small city like Nottingham, very often we associate breakdancing with cities such as New York. NG83 shows a side of Nottingham that has been largely untold and it’s without a doubt something to be proud of.
The soundtrack used in NG83 perfectly captures the spirit of the time. Produced by Nottingham’s own Joe Buhdha in collaboration with local talent Ella Knight and Audiotron, amongst a wealth of other musicians. The tracks featured in the film are reminiscent of hip-hop from the eighties and nineties. Producing music that was relevant to breakdancing culture was essential to create an authentic aura.
NG83 is a celebration of the talent and diversity that Nottingham represents. Anyone with an interest in culture and the history of hip hop needs to see this film. For those involved in breakdance culture NG83 is a must watch and it’ll be sure to bring back memories of breakdancing’s heyday. Following the film's positive reception at Broadway NG83 is set to be shown in Derby and in Amsterdam over the next year.
NG83 When We Were B Boys will be showing at 8:30pm on Sunday 22 May 2016 at Broadway Cinema, which will include an introduction from members of the production team.
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NG83 Trailer
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