How She Move takes us into the gritty and competitive world of stepping, the aggressive form of dance that has become incredibly popular with disaffected youth.
It is a way for them to express their emotions and in the case of How She Move"¦ their grief and anger.
When her beloved older sister dies of a drug overdose, young Raya is forced to return to her old neighbourhood. Scared she will never be a success; she joins a male step group in the hope of winning her college tuition.
How She Move is of course predictable and clichéd at times but it is filled with such amazing and energetic dancing that it is hard to resist.
I was given a glimpse inside a world that has its own language and rules. A place where everything hinges on 'the step".
Unlike other dance films, How She Move has an emotional core centred around grief and drugs that works to great effect.
Talented newcomer Rutina Wesley is outstanding as Raya. Her performance so engaging that for me it made the film. The rest of the cast are better than you would expect from this genre.
With the rising popularity of dancing and the truthful depiction of urban youth, How she Move is sure to find a big audience.
For it’s gritty honesty and the wonderful performance of Rutina Wesley and the fantastic dancing, I am giving How She Move 3.5 stars.
