B-boy Workshop Vol. 1 is the type of DVD I wish existed when I started dancing. There have been other instructional videos on b-boying in the past, but most either try to cover everything and end up teaching nothing, or they’re very focused on one aspect and you don’t necessarily walk away with the big picture. B-boy Workshop, on the other hand, somehow manages to cover every facet of b-boying and still go into more detail than most other DVD’s out there.

It begins with introductions from B-boy Focus, who teaches the moves, and drummer Ed Clery, who provides the beats throughout the DVD. After sharing their personal stories, they go on to give probably the most important lesson on any b-boy DVD: beat structure and basic rhythm. There’s a brief but important explanation of the main elements of the drum (kick, snare, high-hat) and how that relates to a 4 or 8 count.

This really sets the tone for the whole DVD; beyond the moves, B-boy Workshop puts a major emphasis on musicality. You’re not just learning a series of techniques, but you’re learning how those techniques relate to the music. This is something no other DVD has really put a major focus on. Storm’s Footwork Fundamentals touches on it briefly, but Focus reiterates and teaches this point throughout B-boy Workshop.

Speaking of techniques, B-boy Workshop covers all the major elements of a b-boy’s vocabulary; toprock, go-downs, footwork, freezes, and power moves. If you simply read the back of the DVD and see the move list, you might not be very impressed with CC’s, Indian step, six step, baby freeze, swipes, etc., but even veteran b-boys are going to learn a lot from this DVD. Focus gives several variations for moves that aren’t listed in the description, and he offers a lot of little tips to clean up the moves if you’ve been doing them a while but want to get them better. He also explains the role each element plays in the dance – toprock as your introduction, the freeze as your exclamation point, etc. He’s clearly put a lot of thought into how the dance is done, and it certainly pays for the viewer.

In terms of production quality, this is one of the best b-boy DVD’s I’ve seen. There’s excellent design from the DVD cover to menu layout and perfect picture and sound. In the footwork section, you get an overhead view to make sure you’re getting your foot placement right.

In terms of extras, you get a few solo throwdowns from Focus with Ed Clery playing in the background, but the real highlight is Eddie’s Beats. In each lesson on the DVD, Ed Clery plays a different breakbeat. In the Eddie’s Beats, extra you can listen to a looped version of every beat on the DVD (39 in all). This is highly useful since certain beats were specifically made to match certain moves so you can ensure that you’re on beat and improving your musicality.

The bottom line is if you’re just starting out, you need this DVD. And even if you’re not, you should probably still get it anyway.

BUY IT HERE.