Photo by: Sony Pictures Entertainment
“Stomp the Yard” focuses on the sub-culture centered on the art of stomping, which is rooted in the African American Greek Life of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) around the country.
“Stomp the Yard” is a window into that culture.
The story follows DJ (Columbus Short) as he struggles with making money, battling with his dance team at underground betting rings and trying to make it as a college student.
He quickly gains the respect of his peers when he shows up Grant (Darrin Henson), the most popular guy on campus, at a local club.
He also gains the attention of April (Meagan Good), Grant’s girlfriend. DJ soon discovers the world of Black Greek Life, gains a place on the step team and learns a lot about heritage, teamwork and tradition.
Those who are fans of NBC’s “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” may recognize Short.
He recently appeared on the show as Darius Hawthorne, an up-and-coming writer who sports a thick pair of black glasses.
Who knew the man could dance as well as act?
Co-star Good has starred in several popular black movies in the past few years.
She again plays the role of the most beautiful and most sought after girl on campus, and it is easy to see why she plays so many of those roles.
The plot of the film does very little that’s innovative, however.
A talented young man who is struck by a tragedy or has an enormous chip on his shoulder comes to a new place, challenges the alpha dog, takes his girl and leads his new-found team into battle.
Oh and by the way, his new girlfriend has a father who holds a lofty position at the college he goes to and disapproves of the relationship.
In many cases, this lack of originality would be fatal, but there is a reason that this archetype is used over and over and over again: it works. “Stomp the Yard” is no exception.
Though we’ve seen all these elements before, it is still entertaining to see them played out again with fresh characters and a new contest.
It is for this reason that the staleness of the plot works to the film’s benefit rather than its downfall.
As far as the dance moves in the film are concerned, they are amazing.
The professionals make it look easy.
When you amplify the awesome choreography with extreme camera angles and slow motion effects, the end result is nothing short of fantastic.
Truly, it takes a large dose of athleticism and stamina to pull off some of these grand dance moves.
Some are performed at a gymnastic level. It would be interesting to know just how accurate the performances are in terms of theatrics as well as authenticity.
If members of Kappa Alpha Si, for instance, who actually participate in real competitions, were to watch the film, would they think it representative of the sport or ridiculous?
That I don’t know, but from a theatrical standpoint, the choreography is extremely visually pleasing even if you’re not specifically interested in dance.
“Stomp the Yard” is a fun movie that will have you dreaming of dance-off glory.
You experience a similar sense of empowerment after seeing an intense Kung Fu flick.
Audiences can feel as though they too can pop and lock with the best of them.
This feeling quickly dissipates after viewing oneself in the mirror attempting to recreate what was in the movie, but on some level you have shared in this interesting culture.
Regardless of the plot, “Stomp the Yard” is truly a remarkable film worth seeing for the amazing culture and dance.
