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Inspiring is the first word that comes to mind when I think of this compulsively watchable documentary on the rise of the clowning/krumping dance movement in South Central Los Angeles. Involving face-painting (and in some cases all-out clown outfits), the dance style is a unique blend of aggressive hip-hop, moshing and African tribal. The speed at which the best dancers move is astonishing. The fact that it all grew as a positive alternative to gangs makes its central characters heroic.

Tommy the Clown is one of the originators of the clowning faction of the dance movement. Less aggressive in some aspects than krumping, the main differences are all in style. Clowning, apparent from its name, has a more comical bent, while krumping is more of an outlet to unload anger. Lil C. (guest choreographer on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE) was once a dancer for Tommy and left his crew to form his own, which spawned the krumping style. At the time of the making of this film, there were more than 50 active clowning/krumping groups in Los Angeles.

Outside of the amazing dance footage, the film peeks into the lives of the dancers. Dragon is a dancer who helped raise his brothers and sisters while is mother was stuck on drugs. She credits him for saving her life and making sure that her kids turned out as well as they have. Tight Eyez is a member of Lil C.’s crew, who was shot by his grandfather in an effort to protect his mother and little brother. He has taken it upon himself to be a mentor to teenager Lil Tight Eyez, whose parents are in jail and is being cared for by his pastor. Miss Prissy describes herself as prissy in her daily life, but a totally different person when she dances. She lives in the hard neighborhoods of South Central, but is intimidated when she goes to Hollywood and encounters all the snooty people that look down on her as just another ghetto kid.

Director David LaChapelle, a music video director and photographer, expanded on the concept of his short doc KRUMPED and TV special CLOWNS IN THE HOOD. He balances dance segments with the personal stories very effectively, but relies heavily on just letting his subject do what they do and that’s dance. The film builds to the fifth annual Battle Zone dance competition, which is so popular it fills the Great Western Forum. Energetic is too tame a word. It’s an explosive show. As dancer Larry Berry demands, it’s always about putting on a good show for the audience.

Under bad conditions, these young people choice a different path. Some talk about seeing someone shot for the first time. Another young dancer is killed in a drive-by just because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. With so much violence around them all the time, one dancer comments, that it’s hard not to get a taste for it. That violence hasn’t completely disappeared from their lives. Lil Tight Eyez struggles with anger issues. We see the violence touch Tommy the Clown. But what clowning/krumping gives these brave people is hope for something better. A positive artistic outlet from a negative situation that they didn’t choice to be in, but do choice to rise above.