Pop, Lock ‘n Roll

New dance film Pop, Lock ‘n Roll brings the hottest S.A dance moves to the Big Screen.

Pop Lock ‘n Roll, a new film about finding the strength to dance again, despite life and its unexpected, and sometimes heart-breaking curveballs, opens countrywide on 29 September. The cast is led by avid hip hop dancer and Isidingo mainstay, Maurice Paige, and singer-songwriter and actress, Yasirah Bhelz. The film is directed by Ziggy Hofmeyr and produced by Mayenzeke Baza, founder of Mandela Bay Pictures.  It features heart-stopping dance feats, accompanied by some of South Africa’s best produced hip hop and dance music.

At the center of the story is Raps, played by Paige, an ambitious street-style, hip-hop dancer from a poor neighborhood, who believes that money is everything. He gets a lucky break and works his way up as a professional entertainer. But when he falls in love with Queen, portrayed by Bhelz, the beautiful Brazilian wife of the gangster-come-producer who’s making his career, and a star in her own right, he discovers that he may have to risk the most important thing in his life to find true happiness.

“For decades, dance movies have taught audiences valuable lessons about pursuing your dreams, expressing yourself, and being true to your heart above all else, to the point of obsession,” says director, Ziggy Hofmeyr. “Audiences love dance films because they are filled with adversity, rivalry, passion, and obstacles to overcome.”

Hofmeyr says he was excited to work with the large and talented production team behind the film, which is on a scale not seen before in South African dance films. “The leads pushed themselves to the limit for the film with many months of professional dance training from a range of top hip-hop dance choreographers,” he says. “More than 50 professional dancers feature in the film, including top dance crews from around the country. With eight choreographers on board, hip-hop music and dance in all its local variations are the foundation on which the film is built.  Some of the styles featured include crumping, vogueing, popping, locking, pantsula and breakdancing.”

“Dance films are traditionally a major hit with fans,” says Helen Kuun, CEO of Indigenous Film Distribution, which is distributing Pop, Lock ‘n Roll in South Africa. “Blending storytelling with great hip-hop and house moves, and a high-energy soundtrack, they speak directly to their audiences in a way that regular films are not able to. We are excited about ‘Pop, Lock ‘n Roll’ because it is so fresh and ‘now’, and we believe it’s set to be a favorite for many young South Africans.”

Pop Lock n Roll is releasing nationwide on 29 September.