Season 1

Season 1 (1981)

No. in   Series	No. in   Season	Title	Original air date
1	1	"Hey you! The Rock Steady Crew."	January 7, 1981
15 year old B-boy, Richard "Crazy Legs" Colon gets permission from fellow B-boy Jimmy D to start a chapter of the Rock Steady Crew in Manhattan. Crazy Legs immediately switches the affiliation of his crew from the Rockwell Association to Rock Steady Crew. But when none of the current members join his chapter, he enlists the help of his brother Dylan Colon and his best friend Julian Costa.
2	2	"Passing Grade"	January 14, 1981
Richard's nieghbor, Daisy Castro, auditions to join the RSC
3	3	"Tomorrow's Farewell"	January 21, 1981
A school board evaluation involves observing and interviewing students about their priorities. Head inspector Melendez decides a gym is necessary, leading to a cardio contest between football players and the dancers. Leroy's estranged older brother Willard, just released from jail, moves in...bringing a gun, leading to Leroy's arrest while trying to dispose of it.
4	4	"Alone in a Crowd"	January 28, 1981
The School of the Arts 7th annual benefit has Montgomery running the auditions and show. Coco tries unsuccessfully to get performance shy Bruno to perform at the event, so Mr. Shorofsky changes his student proficiency tests to be performed in front of the class and addresses Bruno's fear. Danny shows bad sportsmanship when he fails to earn a place in the performance while Leroy's academic grades eliminate his performing. At the benefit a brown-out gives elevator trapped Danny and Doris a deeper understanding of each other.
5	5	"To Soar and Never Falter"	February 4, 1981
Dance major Kathleen's audition for the Ran Tyler dancer troop causes Miss Grant to ask Bruno for an original piece, but Bruno and Kathleen can't agree on the music concept. Kathleen falls and her audition is postponed due to the minor injury. Her prior diagnosis of multiple sclerosis causes the insurance company to decide to remove her from the school. Doris tells Bruno about Kathleen's impending removal when Bruno and Kathleen become romantically involved. Leroy fills in for Kathleen, then fakes an injury to make a place for her return. Danny doesn't want to perform a love scene with tall Julie, so the kids stage the scene to get around Danny's height issue.
6	6	"The Sellout"	February 11, 1981
Coco's authoritative teaching methods while instructing the dance class choreography mid-term upsets her peers. Mister Shorofsky chooses Julie to play in the ensemble for Coco's project, so jealous Coco torments Julie during rehearsals and blames it on astrology. Bruno promises an original lullaby for his cousin's birthday, but gets too busy. Mr. Martelli causes a small fire in one of Bruno's synthesizers, so he buys a new expensive synthesizer but must work extra shifts to pay for it, resulting in a fatigue injury. Bruno secretly gets a part-time job with a polka band and finishes the lullaby.
7	7	"The Strike"	February 18, 1981
Montgomery is stage manager for the school production of "Othello," but a pending union strike makes faculty involvement questionable. Coco, believing she's the better actress, is upset when Julie gets the part of Desdemona. Mr. Shorofsky supervises the music, but he and Bruno disagree on the direction of the score. Both Mr. Shorofsky and Miss Grant are opposed to the strike, but all the teachers are expected to picket. Montgomery unites the students and Coco volunteers to help with choreography, but Leroy fears Shakespearian literature and drops his lead role. Bruno struggles with the music, an early rehearsal proves disastrous and Leroy's absence is a problem. Leroy gets private tutoring from Miss Sherwood, Mr. Shorofsky approves of Bruno's composition and the production is a success.
8	8	"Street Kid"	February 25, 1981
When Mr. Crandall's assignment requires an improv scene portraying a character far removed from themselves, Doris pretends to be a teenage prostitute to "research" her role. She discovers a real 16-year-old prostitute, Tracy, and convinces her mom to take Tracy in after their arrest. Doris convinces the staff to allow Tracy an audition that goes badly and then Doris convinces the runaway to call her parents and performs her enlightening improv piece. Mr. Shorofsky buys a classic car and asks Miss Sherwood to teach him to drive.
9	9	"But Seriously, Folks"	March 4, 1981
Danny's attitude and performance have dwindled and the staff discover he's been working early mornings as the stage manager at a late night comedy club. The club's star comedian gives Danny caffeine pills as a "gift" and the overwhelmed Danny turns to the drugs before performing. His work violates the no professional work clause of the school and endangers his education. Danny's father ignores the drugs until the kids intrude on his Saint Anthony Lodge event. Doris wins the part in a commercial for Hank Burgers, but detests both the director and the burgers.
10	10	"Come One, Come All"	March 11, 1981
Montgomery's movie star mother is directing the school's variety show but wants to use it for herself.
11	11	"The Crazies"	March 18, 1981
Doris and Montgomery agree to tell the truth for an entire day. Doris suggestion that Michelle has big hips makes her insecure and Doris reveals to Miss Sherwood that Miss Grant doubts her ability to perform an African tribal dance, resulting in the teachers trading places. Montgomery reveals to Mr. Shorofsky that the class didn't practice their assignment. Everyone puts their petty differences aside when Mr. Shorofsky is attacked by an intruder in the school and the show is reworked so as not to dishonour him.
12	12	"Exposé"	March 25, 1981
Julie's mom is apprehensive about job hunting, causing Julie to be replaced by a mannequin when she fails to attend rehearsal. Miss Sherwood's graduate student, Jeff Harris, has a hidden agenda and becomes romantically involved with Julie, claiming he's only writing an article about her move from Grand Rapids to New York City. Julie's mom learns after she's being hired her as a numbers' runner and Julie discovers Jeff is scheming to scandalize both Julie and the school, resulting in the two contemplating moving back to Grand Rapids.
13	13	"A Musical Bridge"	April 1, 1981
Miss Sherwood overhears Leroy asking Danny to let him copy his assignment and asks his parents to come in. She finally goes to Leroy's house to confront them and excuses him when she learns he lives in a meager apartment alone. Miss Grant chastises her and says to challenge him again for his own sake. Bruno composes a mindless song parodying Mr. Shorofsky to prove popular music is noise, but Montgomery secretly records the song and submits it to a local new wave band. With a flimsy record contract possible, the gang expresses its concern with Montgomery's exploitation of Bruno just when Mr. Shorofcky makes Bruno realize that he shouldn't compromise his integrity for money.
14	14	"A Big Finish"	April 15, 1981
After finishing her morning jog, Miss Sherwood discovers a dog in the school with the janitor Tim. When she asks him of the dog's whereabouts, he denies seeing a dog. We learn shortly that he is indeed aware of the animal. Doris' allergies act up in the presence of dogs or people who have been around them confirming Miss Sherwood's discovery of a dog in the school. Miss Sherwood confronts Tim who gets upset by the accusation of being a liar. Curious, Doris gets Bruno and Danny to try to find where the dog is being kept. They discover old Broadway dancer Birdie Whelan has been living in the janitor's quarters after falling short of his rent. He's the owner of the dog and old dance rival Tim has been hiding him there. The kids decide to keep their secret to spare Tim's job and Birdie's living space but of course in the school of the arts, that doesn't happen. They plan a benefit to raise money for the two. The kids arrange a benefit for Tim and Birdie but Miss Sherwood informs them that they would be expelled for courting favour for an employee. Determined to do the benefit, Doris revamps the benefit as a fundraiser for Clumpy, the dog. On a lighter note, Birdie is aware of Leroy's dancing talents and encourages him to listen to Miss Grant. Meanwhile, Mr. Shorofsky has order a table tennis table in which he plans to move into Miss Grant's classroom. Mr. Shorofsky creams Julie and Mr. Crandall and breaches his agreement to store the table against the wall. Miss Grant sets up a match between Mr. Shorofsky and Lang Peyton-Smythe, a neighbour of hers, and she defeats him.
15	15	"Reunions"	April 29, 1981
Mr. Shorofsky's old girlfriend, and survivor of the Holocaust decides to pay him a visit. Leroy wants his mother to be present for parents' day, but neither of them can afford to have her flown in from Detroit. The gang decides to surprise Leroy.
16	16	"A Special Place"	May 6, 1981
When Bruno learns that a famous composer stole his original music, he decides to find and confront him. Budget cutbacks call for the termination of one of the school's teachers: either Sherwood or Crandall. Crandall gets cut, but the teachers meet with city board representatives to offer putting off their raises in order to keep Crandall. The kids gather around Crandall at his goodbye party and sing "Starmaker." Crandall's job is saved for one year in exchange for the school not getting approved new lighting in the auditorium. To celebrate, the kids sing and dance to "Hot Lunch" (played in the original film). Coco does not appear in this episode.