In a new film by image maker Mary Rozzi, Brooklyn dancer Poba, aka Shawn Theagene, delivers a captivating display of movement, soundtracked by his testimony of gang life and salvation through dance. "Watching Poba dance, I was super inspired by how deep he got into his character,” says Rozzi. “His transformation was mesmerizing.
"I could feel Poba's past in his movement and facial expressions,” continues the American filmmaker. “I wanted to capture the way he has pushed through pain with this amazing storytelling device that he calls 'Bruk Up', a dance style that fuses Jamaican dancehall and hip hop.”