Step

Front Row at the Movies by Shirrel Rhoades

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Take a blender and toss in “Hoop Dreams,” “Fame,” and “Stomp the Yard,” and you might get the new documentary, “Step.”

Focusing on the step-dancing students at Baltimore Leadership School for Women, the film introduces us to the graduating class of 2016.

“Step” is stepping out at Tropic Cinema.

For those of you not familiar with contemporary terpsichorean arts, step dancing is a specialized dance form made popular by black fraternities and sororities. Stepping has African roots. Footwork is the most important part of the dance.

Baltimore’s inner city kids in this doc form a female step team known as the Lethal Ladies. We go behind the scenes and get to know these girls as they face street violence, struggle with poverty, overcome personality conflicts, and push themselves toward success. The school’s stated goal is to send every student to college in spite of the challenges in this city center community.

A Grand Jury Prize nominee and Special Jury Prize Award winner at the Sundance Film Festival, “Step” was directed by Amanda Lipitz.

This film will remind you of a dance version of those “Pitch Perfect” movies. But this one is for real.

Email Shirrel: srhoades@aol.com