Furious Beauty: A Hip-Hop Family

Calvin Leung's upbeat documentary focuses on Los Angeles couple Jackie Lopez and Leigh Foaad, who run a nonprofit hip-hop dance studio called Versa-Style. Dedicated to raising the self-esteem of young dancers, the pair work with a troupe of adolescents and young adults, supplying mentorship and friendship, as well as opportunities for combining self-expression with discipline. Leung takes viewers behind-the-scenes to witness the intricate rehearsals for a new Versa-Style production, one that requires both courage and honesty from the dancers as they explore (through dance) such personal issues as abuse and abandonment. Several dancers offer moving testimony about the impact of Versa-Style on both their confidence and sense of readiness for life in the larger world. Furious Beauty concludes with Leung's stylish filming of the new show, which indeed proves to be captivating. Extras include a bonus featurette on Versa-Style, comments by dancers on freestyling, and a photo gallery. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)