After the battle ends, the Goon Squad is walking home when they are ambushed by the squad they just defeated, as their leader demands their money back. It's an even fight until the leader pulls out a gun and shoots Duron, killing him on the spot. DJ was arrested over the fight for disorderly conduct and a few other charges.
Duron and DJ's mother has a brother, Nate (Harry J. Lennix) who is Head of Maintenance at Truth University in Atlanta. DJ is given a job on Nate’s crew as well as a scholarship to Truth. DJ takes the train from LA to Atlanta where Nate picks him up. He is to live on campus, but his uncle and his aunt Jackie (Valarie Pettiford), a real estate agent, offer their house to him to visit anytime.
At Truth, while registering, DJ is smitten at the sight of April (Meagan Good) and loses his place in line while trying to pursue her. He also loses her, and gets into an argument with the girl behind him when he tries to regain his place in line. Later that day on campus, DJ sees April again and runs up to start a conversation. While they’re talking, April’s boyfriend Grant (Darrin Henson) walks up. She introduces DJ to Grant and Grant tells DJ to stay away from his girl.
DJ moves into his dorm room, which he shares with roommate Rich Brown (Ne-Yo). Rich tells him about a gathering on campus where he can meet girls. At the gathering, Theta Nu Theta is having a step show; everything goes well until rival fraternity Mu Gamma Xi shows up and steals the show. The Gammas make it known that they are the 7 time defending National Step Champions; this kills the Theta’s spirit.
During the step show, DJ spots April again and runs over to her. This time he runs right through the Gamma’s step line, almost getting into a fight with Grant and a few other Gammas. DJ is warned again.
That night, Rich and his friends are going to the local club and invite DJ along. It happens to be "Rep Your Hood" night and there is a chance for people from other cities to represent their city. He shouts out to St. Louis, NYC, Philly, Miami, etc…
Grant is dancing with another woman when April walks in and sees them. She gets angry and Grant tries to explain that he was simply dancing but she tells him she still doesn't like it. When Grant leaves to represent, DJ tells April she does not have to be treated like that. Grant, seeing them talking, runs over and tells DJ to leave his girl alone. They almost have a fight but Grant is called back to the dance floor.
DJ takes this opportunity to show Grant up; he jumps onto the dance floor and challenges him. The crowd is stunned by this unknown, challenging one of the best dancers at Truth. DJ showcases his moves by going up to different people in the crowd and doing a dance popular in that particular person’s city. DJ then does a few moves mocking Grant and the crowd goes wild. Grant does not dance back, knowing he can't top DJ's moves.
The next day, DJ is hard at work gardening on campus when he is approached by Grant, two other Gammas, and Zeke (Laz Alonso) who is Gamma’s campus president. Zeke orders the other two Gammas to finish DJ’s work while they take a walk. Zeke was impressed by his dancing and extends an invitation to DJ to join their fraternity. DJ declines, stating he would rather battle and insults Zeke. Zeke and the Gammas stride off.
Later while studying, DJ is approached by Sly (Brian J. White), the leader of the Thetas, asking him to consider pledging to their fraternity. Unlike the Gammas offer, Sly tells him that joining is not automatic but he has to earn the right to join. Sly emphasises the concept of brotherhood and tells DJ to visit Heritage Hall, a building dedicated to the men and women who were in fraternities and sorority.
DJ is mowing the lawn when he spots April jogging. He asks her out for lunch but she says she has to tutor and walks off. DJ goes to the tutoring administration and asks them what subject April tutors, taking up classes in that subject. During their tutoring session, DJ again asks April to dinner. She initially declines, and he tells her to ask him anything about the subject and if he can answer her, they will go for dinner. He does and she accepts his date. After dinner on the dancefloor, they start kissing but she pulls away.
DJ visits Heritage Hall and sees pictures of prominent Black people that paved the way in the United States, including Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King. At the going over ceremony where the pledges are made into members, the Gammas are having their ceremony when it is interrupted by the Theta’s. All the new Gamma members are revealed, followed by the new Theta members, DJ being one of them. His frat name is Knucklehead and he does a quick step dance to show the Gammas that their title is now in jeopardy.
While together, DJ tells April that he notices everything about her and she tests him by asking what her favourite color is. He replies that since she always wears green eyeshadow, her ring has green in it, and her car is probably green, he would guess that it was green. She is impressed.
When April is out for dinner with Grant, he suddenly gives her a ring. Confused, she asks him what her favourite color is but he is unable to answer. Suspicious, he asks her if this is about DJ and when she can't answer, he gets angry and calls her ungrateful, amongst other things. She leaves him.
DJ is mowing the lawn on campus and Grant and some Gammas are laughing at him when DJ pulls up to April on the mower and she jumps on. The smile is quickly taken off Grant’s face.
Both the Gammas and Thetas have been secretly rehearsing for the Championships. Unbeknownst to them, during one of the Theta rehearsals, they are recorded by a Gamma. DJ is teaching his line brothers some new moves but when Sly sees them he gets angry and tells him that stepping is not a rap video. DJ retorts that these moves are the new thing. Sly challenges DJ to a battle at the Phoenix between his line brothers and DJ's; the new moves against the old.
Both teams are about even when DJ decides to dance a solo, thinking this will bring their team to victory. However, as a team competition, this stunt costs them the victory. All the Thetas are angry at his showing off. Remembering Duron, DJ apologises to the Thetas and acknowledges the team. Sly agrees to let DJ teach the team some new moves.
Some of the Gammas are researching DJ and they find out his previous criminal background. Meanwhile, April and DJ are studying and DJ offers to bring her to get the best fried chicken. He drives her to his uncle and aunt's house. During the meal, we learn that April's mother passed away 5 years ago. April's father (Allan Louis) is the Dean of Truth and when Nate hears this, he is surprised.
DJ is in class when he is summoned to the Dean’s office. The Dean has learnt about DJ's background from the Gammas and the school Board determines to suspend him for the rest of the year. DJ receives a phonecall and goes to meet Dr. Palmer, who tells him that he can be reinstated in school if he stops seeing April. DJ refuses.
This is three days to Nationals and the Thetas are upset about potentially losing the competition. It turns out that Dr. Palmer used to be a Gamma too.
Dr. Palmer tells April about DJ, who is hurt that he didn't tell her the truth. He explains to her what happened and tells her that the reason he is leaving is because of her father.
When DJ breaks the news to his uncle and aunt, they explain that his aunt and Dr Palmer used to date until she met his uncle, and that is why Dr. Palmer has it in for DJ.
On the day of the Nationals, Jackie goes to see Dr. Palmer about the deal. He tells her he doesn't want his daughter to make the same mistake as she did and she tells him that she has a good life. He says that it isn't good enough for his daughter, but she overhears and is upset.
The finals of the stepping competition are between the Gammas and the Thetas, who must have a danceoff to determine the winner. Each team must choose one dancer to go head to head with each other.
Fearing the loss of his daughter, Dr. Palmer has agreed to reinstate DJ, and they go to the Nationals together.
Grant, having watched the secret tape of DJ, tells Zeke he can win the competition for them. However, DJ shows up in time. Going first, Grant does DJ's exact routine from the tape but DJ isn't fazed. After Grant finishes, DJ puts on the gloves Duron was wearing when he danced and when he died and matches Grant move for move.
As the Theta’s are all huddled on stage, DJ runs into the huddle and then thrusts his body backwards, sliding towards the Gamma’s in the same move that Duron did at the beginning of the movie. DJ is mobbed by the Theta’s and April runs out to kiss him. The scene is captured in a still black and white photo that appears on the wall at Heritage Hall.
Director: Sylvain White
Producers: Will Packer, Rob Hardy
Written by Robert Adetuyi, Gregory Anderson
Starring: Columbus Short, Meagan Good, Ne-Yo Darrin Henson, Brian White, Valerie Pettiford, Harry Lennix, Chris Brown
Music by Sam Retzer, Tim Boland
Editor: David Checel
Release date: January 12, 2007
Official Website: http://www.stomptheyard.com/
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