RIZE

Okay, okay, I'm probably a little late on this but I just saw David LaChapelle's documentary RIZE. I wasn't sure what to expect because, well, I just wasn't. It's a completely new dance style in a documentary made by a lil' white man whose only work I had seen was an Elton John video.

I'm happy to say that I liked it. I was pretty suprised not only by the dancing but by these kids' strong faith and their willingness to admit that it's only because of God that they're not in a gang or dead. It's not every day that you hear thugged out brotha's talking about God (unless it's Cross Movement). If nothing else, watch the film to see a thugged out brotha doing an interpretive dance in church on Sunday. THAT is something you don't see--ever.

Judging by Mr. LaChapelle's other work, I wouldn't have guessed that was the point of the film but he gave a lot of voice and respect to the fact that most of the kids he talked to were Christians. In fact, one of the guys is a licensed minister now. It was a very unexpected twist on such a raw dance form.

Here's the trailer. It doesn't really capture the essence of what I like about it but it at least shows off the dance.