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Columbus Short, Meagan Good, Darrin Henson, Courtney B. Vance. Drama/performing arts. Written by Robert Adetuyi. Directed by Sylvain White.

FILM SYNOPSIS: When DJ (Columbus Short), a troubled youth from Los Angeles, moves to Atlanta to attend Truth University, he discovers “stepping,” the age-old style of dance traditionally done in African-American fraternities, where teams demonstrate complex moves and create rhythmic sounds by using their bodies. DJ’s raw talent and hip-hop inspired moves quickly place him at the center of a fierce rivalry between two fraternities, the winner of which will be determined in front of a sold-out arena at the annual stepping championships. But before he can help his teammates, he must battle his own demons and learn the true meaning of brotherhood.

PREVIEW REVIEW: Before the movie began, the screening audience was subjected to several real-life “Stepping” exhibitions. I say subjected, because while we all enjoyed the first group, the following four groups revealed the fact that there’s really not that much to this rather frivolous performing art. I appreciated the precision, but kept thinking, this has to take a lot of time to get right – time that could be spent doing something of a higher calling. I suppose the same could be said for cheerleading, except cheering was designed to back a team and stir the team’s supporters. “Stepping,” with its accompanying hoops and hollers, seems more like a fad, a self-expression that can’t sustain audience support. (I admit, I could be wrong. I thought hip hop would last for only a season.) By the time the film began, I had already seen all the stepping I cared to. That said, this variation on the hand bone has morphed from centuries-old African culture. Indeed, the screening audience was made up mostly of young African-Americans who seemed to appreciate the inventiveness of performance art more so than I. They enjoyed the movie and I enjoyed them. They were enthusiastic about the film. Being with people who enjoy a film always helps with a writer’s perspective.

However, besides its too many slap-and-holler routines, the film’s cookie-cutter format offers nothing new: bad boy faces obstacles before finding himself and getting the good girl. There’s the prerequisite antagonist who happens to be dating the girl our hero longs for. Her dad also objects to his dating her and, being the college dean, he holds the young man’s future in his hands. And there are a couple of misunderstandings and challenges before the couple get to walk off into the sunset. Make that step off into the sunset.

Okay, so there’s nothing fresh about the film other than a new form of dance/athletics. There are, however, several positive messages dealing with how to treat a woman, having self-respect, working to uplift the team, not just yourself, and the importance of getting an education. What’s more, while these young people are athletic, they are also pretty good actors. They draw you into the story and give more depth than the overly familiar scenario deserves.

My only real reservation concerning this film is that it seems to take place in an alternate world, one populated only by African Americans. True, it takes place at a black university, but the only scene featuring whites is in a snooty restaurant, with whites as peripheral extras. Perhaps that’s payback for all the times Blacks have suffered the same lack of notice on TV and in movies. But is that where we’re still at? Here, there’s a complete ignoring of Caucasian society. Pictures on dorm rooms feature only blacks, the campus history museum features only blacks, and the big Stepping national playoff only features blacks and only black spectators. No other race fares better. This is a film about black culture and it seems to have no room for any other perspective. It’s sadly ironic, when you consider how African-Americans have struggled to make America aware of their significance, yet these filmmakers ignore the contributions or even the presence of others. Some day, we will realize that God made us all and that each race complements the others.

Distributor: Sony Pictures