Step Up | Teen Ink

Step Up

January 24, 2017
By vanessapeer BRONZE, Cannon Falls, Minnesota
vanessapeer BRONZE, Cannon Falls, Minnesota
3 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
Stars can't shine without darkness


For some people, their escape is listening to music or playing a sport. For me, it's the art of dancing. Problems vanish while I’m in my own world. Without having dance, I think I wouldn’t survive. Which also happens to be some of the same feelings from the two main characters in the creative film “Step Up.” This movie is great for anyone looking for a sweet, feel good movie and shares a love for dance with me. Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Tatum show their passion for this kind of art throughout the entire film. I also share some little changes I would've liked to see in the movie.


“Step Up” was directed by Anne Flecher in 2006. Tyler Gage (Channing Tatum) vandalizes a performing arts school but somehow ends up having a chance at a dance scholarship. The scholarship doesn’t just drop into Tyler’s hand though. He serves his community service hours that he earned by vandalizing at the school. One day when he’s working, he see’s a girl named Nora Clark (Jenna Dewan Tatum) struggling to find a dance partner. Tyler observes this situation for a little bit until he gets a little courage to try and help.


Tyler Gage grows up in a bad part of town. He lives in a foster home with some not so great foster parents. The first time you see Tyler he’s at a party tearing up the dance floor. In a later scene his foster sister, Camille (Alyson Stoner), is bugging him to get up and do something. At first he objects, like any other teenager, but then caves because he takes care of her like an actual sister. They go outside and realize they both have some dance moves up their sleeve. He then gets that spark of courage and asks Nora if he can try and help, she overlooks him but soon enough realizes their styles of dance maybe really different but themselves are equally talented.
Nora Clark has had a love for dance since her parents put her in dance classes when she was very little. Sadly, one day, Nora’s father died. This death obviously put stress on the family. Nora’s mother took the stress and slowly stopped supporting Nora and her dreams of being a dancer. Nora, however, took the stress and put it all into her dance. Obviously, it’s hard to not have a support system. Tyler though started to shift into that role. He convinced her to go after her dream and not let anything change it. Together they brought the best out of each other.


A tweak I think I would've liked to see in the film is if Tyler and Nora switched roles. It would’ve put a good spin on the movie if the trained ballerina was a boy. I think it would’ve given the movie a different dynamic; having the girl be a little rough around the ends and known as the stronger lead could have made it so much better. Another change would have been having Tyler being a little more interested in Nora at first. It seems like in a lot of movies, the girl is always chasing the boy. All in all, I still love the movie.


I think the plot of the movie is well thought out, the characters are unique, and without the changes the movie still is a feel-good. If someone is in a rut, find their escape. If their escape is dance and they’re feeling a little tired, watch “Step Up” instead. Go and find it on Netflix! There will be no regrets happening. 


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