Breakin' In follows three young black women - Tracy, Linda and Michelle - as they compete for roles in hip hop music videos, whose popular images promote a billion-dollar industry that's worldwide.

These highly sexualized videos tend to depict dancers as eye candy, with lyrics that seem to demean and stereotype women. Fully aware of their status of sex objects, the three are confident enough in their talent to leave school, jobs and family for a chance at fame. As we follow our trio through gruelling workouts and nerve-wracking auditions, they speak candidly about their concepts of beauty and self-image, and of a thriving urban culture that makes being black "cool."

Special Features
Chaptered for use in classrooms, and exclusive bonus material including:
Deleted scenes with Tracy and Linda
Additional sequence introducing Tamar, The Triple Threat
Interview with director Elizabeth St. Philip
Interview with cultural critic Nelson George, author of Hip Hop America
A companion study guide is available online at www.nfb.ca/guides. DVD of 2005 original.