Night falls in Hung Hom and factory buildings go dark unit by unit. The graffiti-covered rooftop of the otherwise nondescript Focal Industrial Centre sets the stage for a group of young men, who arrive in hoodies and baseball caps and greet each other with bumped fists, their faces lit only by their cigarettes. As music begins to pulse from a portable speaker, shadowy figures suddenly become animated, legs twirling upwards, limbs twisting and heads pivoting on the floor in chaotic choreography.
Among them are Kwan Man-chun, who goes by ET; Joe Chong, whose stage name is Fat Joe; and the performer Bomhead, who refuses to reveal his real name. They are the core members of Buddy Crew, a Hong Kong breakdancing group set up in 2001 which now has 40 members, all of whom are known by stage names tied to their individual personalities. After 20 years, the members of this niche subculture are stepping out of the shadows after breakdance, or breaking as it is officially known, became one of t