The first time I saw these young men perform, in a tightly packed New York City subway car, I imagined we were all flying. I later learned that their dances and aerial moves were named “the part-time stripper,” “walking on air” and “the Kid and Larry.” Their physicality, bravado and humor captivated me. While some riders considered them a nuisance, I felt they transformed the subway car into a remarkable sort of public theater. Last month, I decided to track down the subway dancers in the hope of filming them. After weeks of calls, I managed to book an afternoon shoot with some of the men, who call themselves the W.A.F.F.L.E. (We Are Family for Life Entertainment) crew: J-Black, Goofy, Boy Aero, Lex Aero, John-O and Sonic. I focused my lens on their hands seizing poles and feet fluttering in the air. As I zoomed in, I noticed that these self-taught artists are not just part of an underground subculture; their graceful moves also evoke a classical ballet. Joshua Z Weinstein, a native New Yorker, is a filmmaker and cinematographer. His latest documentary, “Drivers Wanted,” about a taxicab garage in Queens, N.Y., will be released this fall.
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