Step Up

You're so eager to get to work

you're sprinting off to the supply closet?

It's 15 minutes.

Don't I get a grace period or something?

You've neither earned one, nor are you

entitled. But you can stay 15 minutes later.

(thumping)

Andrew, oh, my God.

What happened?

Came down on my ankle wrong

in class today.

- Are you OK?

- Yeah. It's just a sprain.

Doctor says I have to stay off of it.

I'm really sorry.

- For what? It's not your fault.

- I know, Nora.

It's just that the showcase

means a lot to both of us.

Maybe you could find someone

to rehearse with in the meantime.

I should be back before you know it.

Yeah. Um...

Don't worry about it.

I'll be OK.

All right.

Cool. I'll see you later.

OK.

- What's up, man?

- 'Sup?

- Hey, where you from?

- I grew up in McCulloh Homes.

Oh, word.

That's where my boy Mac is from.

He lives over at Heritage now, though.

Oh, yeah?

I don't live over there no more.

I live with my aunt now.

I'll check you a little later, all right?

- A'ight.

- A'ight.

Later.

He only has a bad sprain. I need someone

to rehearse with until he gets better.

You know all the stuff

I have going on with the labels.

How come Miles

can find the time to help me?

No offense to Miles, but he's not involved

in every aspect of the music as I am.

Look, all I need is somebody, Brett,

to rehearse with just for a couple of weeks.

I wanna help you. You know I do.

I'm just so close with my music,

I gotta give it everything I have right now.

Look, you're gonna do great.

You always do.

Yeah.

All right, sweetie.

( funk)

(Nora) Thank you guys so much

for coming to the audition.

- Ready?

- No!

Sorry. I'm not ready yet.

Thank you.

Next?

Like this.

Jump. See?

- It's not that hard. OK?

- Yeah.

Hold me. Great.

(laughs)

No.

Thank you.

- No! Oh!

- (snorts)

- Oh!

- I got it.

- You did it.

- No, no, no...

Thank you. Thanks.

I'll do it.

Do what?

I don't know.

Whatever y'all were tryin' to do out here.

You wanna lift me?

Are you kidding?

Does it look like I'm kiddin'?

OK, I get it. You're not gonna use me

to get out of cleaning the windows,

even if you were capable of dancing.

OK. I'm not trying to get out of anything

and I know you saw me the other day.

Thank you,

but I can find someone else.

OK.

I was just tryin' to help.

OK, wait.

Catch me.

Now what?

Um, um...

Put me down.

No. What about

choreographing a solo?

I don't have time to work out a solo.

Not a good one, anyway.

Have you talked to the sophomores?

I've auditioned a bunch of them.

None of them can handle it.

My dance has a lot of lifts in it

and you know how hard the...

- I can't believe there's no one else.

- None who have the time.

And you say that he can dance?

- He's adequate.

- Adequate?

See, that's my concern.

He's not taking this seriously.

Look, I'm sorry.

It's just you all be talkin' about dancin'

like it's rocket science or something.

It's just for a couple of weeks

until Andrew gets better.

Yeah.

This would be your risk, Nora.

It's your senior piece.

I know.

Don't make me regret my decision.

Bring your tights.

Tights? Wait, what?

- (TV playing)

- (boy) Aah!

(Camille) I'm gonna beat you.

Anything interesting

happen in school today?

Malcolm, enough.

No.

Sit down. Thank you.

Eat.

Mm...

Anything special at school today?

I found a rehearsal partner,

so now I won't miss a beat

when Andrew gets back.

Your applications arrived from Cornell

and Brown. I put them on your bed.

Remember our deal, Nora.

If you don't get a job from the showcase,

you go to school in the fall.

OK.

( dance/classical blend)

- I'm not late.

- (turns off music)

You're not dressed, either.

You can change in the bathroom.

(chuckles)

Done.

- I asked you to bring tights.

- Do I look like I own tights?

- Shoes?

- Move better with 'em on.

Afraid you might slip and fall?

(scoffs. Kicks off shoes)

- How you wanna do this?

- I'll start with a combination.

OK.

Step, knee, step, fan,

step, turn, ball change, contract.

- OK?

- Mm-hm.

I'll take it slow.

And... step, knee,

step, fan, and...

- You got that?

- (laughs) Yeah.

So, from the fan...

turn, ball change, contract.

OK. Um...

Let's do it again.

Five, six, seven, eight. Step, knee...

Oh. My bad.

No. Uh, so... Go.

Step, knee, fan...

Wow.

He looks like the real deal.

- Take a break. Grab a coffee with me.

- I can't. I have a lot to do.

- That's for damn sure.

- Brett...

- I'm sorry. You got a problem?

- No. No, I'm all about rehabilitation.

- We could discuss this outside.

- Why do you think you're so tough?

- Why don't you test me?

- OK, stop.

Brett, everything's OK, all right?

I'll meet you later.

(sighs)

- OK.

- OK.

(laughs)

- What?

- Again.

And...

( hip-hop)

Yo, Omar!

Your boys are here, man!

O, look what we got for you, man.

Let's go, baby.

- I heard you havin' a party on Friday.

- Mm-hm.

- Yeah, you know we up in there.

- Uh-uh.

You dudes is froze out,

especially after what happened last time.

- What you mean, we froze out?

- I ain't start that. That was PJ.

That ain't even right.

We can take this car to Stuckey's.

Probably get more money, too.

I'm sorry. Yeah.

You could take this car to Stuckey's.

You know something, Mac? You young

dudes ain't got no respect. No loyalty.

Why don't you bring me a Escalade or

something to get back in my good graces?

- We just got you this car.

- An Escalade.

- We'll get you an Escalade.

- What did you say?

- Nothin', man.

- Yeah, nothing.

So, can I still come to the party?

- (Mac) Skinny, come on!

- He ain't say nothin' about me.

He said y'all couldn't go to the party.

He didn't say nothin' about Skinny.

Will you shut up?

Ready? Down, up, step, turn.

- Piqu and...

- What the hell is a piqu?

This is a piqu.

We do the turn

and land face to face, OK?

- I get it...

- Do it again.

- It's just...

- What?

It's just stiff.

This whole thing is stiff. It's boring.

Boring?

Don't look at me like I'm stupid.

I know you know what I'm sayin'.

Fine. Well, that's the way it is, so...

Fine.

Ready? And...

Down, up...

step, turn, piqu, and... (gasps)

- Like this?

- Um...

OK, I am starving.

Tyler's just here until Andrew's back.

And why is this the first time

I'm hearin' about it?

We still have work to do.

Wait. I can't watch?

Is he that bad...?

- Goodbye.

- You can tell me!

OK.

OK, um...

- I'll see you tomorrow.

- All right. I'll see you tomorrow.

OK.

Can you come to the club

and hear me sing with Colin on Saturday?

Ooh, maybe you can bring Tyler.

Can you stop talking

about how hot he is?

OK, Brett's not around, so why do you

keep denying the obvious? It's so obvious.

OK, fine. Tyler's good looking,

but he's annoying.

See? Your guard's up,

and that must mean that you like him.

- You couldn't be more wrong.

- Ooh!

And defensive, too.

You know, that must mean that you,

um... really, really like him.

( ringtone)

I'm just sayin'.

Rate this script:4.2 / 6 votes