This immensely engaging archive and character-driven documentary, investigating the birth of Nottingham’s vibrant hip hop and breakdancing scene, is full of energy, charm and heart.
In the mid ’80s, Nottingham played host to a rising fascination with hip hop and breakdance culture. Its infamous Rock City jams on Saturday afternoon enabled a generation to escape the confines of inner city life and became an institution for breakdancers across the UK.
NG83 combines present-day interviews with five original B-Boys (and B-Girls) with a wealth of previously unseen video footage, to shine a light on a movement that shaped the lives of many.
Occasionally very poignant – with its insight into both particular personalities and the wider social forces of the time, including the widespread racism that affected many, and the difficulty faced by many of the dancers in sustaining similar passions in adult life – it’s also nostalgic and upbeat, humorous and full of the infectious, all-important breakdancing.