Stepping High

When you think of it, there are only a few major plot lines, it's how the movie comes together that makes a difference. Yes, this is about over-coming adversity, cultural differences etc. but I found it enjoyable. For me, the best surprise was a dance movie casting in the lead someone who can REALLY dance! Often, it's an actor who can fake it a bit, then they use editing or body doubles. The lead actress in this movies is both a terrific dancer, in many styles, but also a wonderful actress. If you are a dancer trying to watch a dance movie with terrible dancing, it takes away of the enjoyment of watching it.

Unfortunately, the actors who portray the students fit the category of dancers who try to act, some with better results than others. That was bothersome, but I was willing to over-look that as the rest of the cast was strong and many scenes were portrayed realistically.

I was drawn in by the family interaction, and felt they rose above caricatures. It wasn't hard to figure out where the plot was going, but the journey was definitely worth my time. Some scenes, such as the dance teacher's introduction of dance to these students was memorable.