Tonight, I was invited to an exclusive, advanced screening of the STEP documentary. I actually saw a poster for this at Arclight Hollywood when I went to see Girls Trip, and it made me even more excited for tonight.
STEP tells the real life story of a high-school step team in the heart of Baltimore. The film goes into the lives of this amazing group of young African American women and highlights the obstacles and hardships they go through in their home life. Whether it’s poverty or the battle of staying in school, this form of dance became an outlet for them to actually make something of themselves.
First of all, I love documentaries. Mainly because there’s something about non-fiction testimonies that make the story even greater than it already is. Second, I’m pretty sure I was exposed to Step at some point in my education. Whether it was high school or college. It’s a talent really. You’re talking to a girl who can’t even keep up in a beginner’s Hip Hop choreography class. Step is on another level. The coordination and precision in these moves… yeah. Much respect.
You know I’m committed when I’m driving an hour to an event. The screening took place at William Fox Theatre on the Fox Studio Lot. I’ve been here once before years ago when my homegirl’s sister worked for Fox and invited us to a screening of Wolverine. It was fucking lit. The studio lot is where they film all their TV shows and what not. It’s all the way on the Westside where I used to stay.
I enter the tiny theater 24 minutes late and immediately run into my favorite ladies, Lupe and Glenna. I was so fucking happy to see them! We genuinely enjoyed the remainder of the movie. It was an emotional rollercoaster and we had no problem vocalizing our reactions.
Piggybacking off that, this movie is about empowerment. It’s about following your dreams and never giving up. It’s about making something of yourself, no matter how difficult or fucked up your situation is. It’s about staying in school, graduating, and going to college. It’s about proving yourself to only you, and no one else.
Everyone go see this when it hits theaters on August 4! Please. It’s so powerful. Huge thanks to Tiara for the invite. Columbia Records will also be releasing the film’s soundtrack, which is co-produced by the legendary Raphael Saadiq. Not only does he have street cred, but he executive produced Solange’s A Seat at the Table AND consulted the music for HBO’s Insecure.
Forced Lupe to wander the lot with me afterward. I knew I wasn’t going to be on the Westside any time soon again, let alone the Fox Studio Lot. This made me smile- New York in LA. It had me singing “Empire State Of Mind” and shit. Low key couldn’t find our cars after lmao. <3
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