DJ, a troubled youth from Los Angeles, attends the historically black Truth University in Atlanta, Georgia. When adapting to his new environment proves difficult, DJ finds solace in joining a struggling fraternity where he begins implementing his street-style dance moves in an attempt to help the step team win the coveted National Step Show Championship. Before long DJ becomes the competing fraternity's main rival, while trying to pursue his new love interest, deal with his own troubled past and learn the true meanings of brotherhood and Fraternity along the way.

One death, one conviction, lots of regrets.

All of the above are the problems faced by DJ Williams, a character played by Columbus Short, in Sylvain White's dance movie, "Stomp the Yard". A dance competition turns violent and he loses his one and only brother. Being charged of being in connection with the death, he is later moved to Truth University, one of the most prestigious schools in Atlanta, with the help of his uncle.

In Truth, he discovers "stepping," the age-old style of dance traditionally done in African-American fraternities, where teams demonstrate complex moves and create rhythmic sounds by using their bodies. Truth is also where he starts most of his firsts in his life - his first lesson on stepping, brotherhood, and love, with April (Meagan Good).

The movie starts off with a whirlwind of scenes leaving the audience in a daze. It comes to a point when nothing can be learnt from those scenes except that they are clips of dances but as the story moves on, the plot begins to reveal itself, getting better and better until the climax which leaves you with a great feeling inside.

"Stomp the Yard", shows how one needs to work for something, to feel proud and be able to put your head up, as shown when the two fraternities in the university makes him choose which to join. One gives him the privilege to join without any tests, while the other, gives him a choice to attend the process which everyone has to go through to get in.

In the movie, no doubles were used for all the dancers. Short, who also acted in "Save the Last Dance 2", made a very convincing performance, playing the troubled and complicated DJ. The anger of a youth, the determination, and the stubbornness, are all clearly brought out in his character. And let's not forget his dance moves too.

Good, playing the lovable girl, April, who catches DJ's attention at first glance, throws in an equally good performance. She brought out not only her complicated relationship with DJ and Grant (Darrin Henson), but also with her father, who was over-protective of his 'little' girl. From here, the message is clear, that most youngsters want their parents to let go when it's time.

The dance-steps are one of a kind and present something fresh and new for the screen. Stepping, is a traditional dance. The combination of these dance steps with street dancing, which most of us are familiar with, leads to a new outcome and performance.

The plot unravels smoothly from one incident to the next and shows the multi-layered emotions and components of the love relationships, the family relationships, and the fraternities. The resolution is a round-up of all the incidents that have taken place.

All in all, this is one dance movie that must not to be missed. Lastly, here is a reminder for all of us who have come from the comfortable world of 'me' - As Duron Williams says, "This isn't just about you. This is about all of us."