Lil'A

As the film opens, we see slow-motion images of an exuberantly dancing boy on a dark stage. This instantly makes it clear what the world of 12-year-old Armando revolves around. Lil'A, as his mother affectionately calls him, briefly played soccer, but "dancing, dancing, dancing" was the only thing that kept running through his head. Crumping, an intensive underground dance style, is his favourite. Dancing isn't only a hobby, he explains. He used to suffer from a nervous twitch, and a little voice in his head constantly said, "Do this, do that." Dancing serves as an outlet for all his surplus energy and aggression. "I dance until my body has had enough. Until I'm free again." Scenes with Lil'A and his schoolmates show that what they do can be compared to a professional sport. The energy bursts from the dancing, twisting bodies, and the stirring, rhythmical music by DJ Ill Vibe adds extra power to the scenes. Meanwhile, Lil'A's parents try to figure out whether their son has a girlfriend or not. We never find out. For the time being, Lil'A is focused on something quite different: becoming the best dancer and choreographer in the world and starting a dancing school. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)