The movie begins with an underground dance competition in Los Angeles. It is held at the Home "Field" of a rival dance troop who are wiping out the competition. Watching all the action is the Goon Squad, headed up by brothers DJ (Columbus Short) and Duron (Brown) Williams. After the home squad wins another bout, the Goon Squad takes the stage to challenge. A bucket is passed around for wagering and both Squads add a stack of money to the pot. The battle starts and the Goon Squad takes the prize. The losing squad offers double or nothing, dropping more money in the bucket, but Duron is happy with the win and turns down the challenge. DJ pulls him aside to try to convince Duron that they can’t win it again without him. Duron still doesn't want to compete again but does not want to leave his brother behind. Duron pulls a great move; and the Goon Squad are declared the winners again.
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. The leader pulls out a gun in the middle of the fight and shoots Duron, killing him on the spot. DJ was arrested over the fight.
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. 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, whilst waiting in the line for registration, DJ sees April (Meagan Good) and is attracted by her. After registering he moves into his dorm room, which he shares with roommate Rich Brown (Ne-Yo). Rich takes him to a gathering where Theta Nu Theta are having a step show. Their rival fraternity Mu Gamma Xi arrives and steals the show; they are the 7 time defending National Step Champions.
During the step show, DJ spots April again and runs over to her. He runs right through the Gamma’s step line, almost getting into a fight with Grant (Darrin Henson) and a few other Gammas. Later that day on campus, DJ sees April again and runs up to start a conversation. April’s boyfriend Grant arrives and is introduced to DJ. Grant warns DJ to stay away from April.
That night, Rich and his friends are going to the local club and invite DJ along. It is a "Rep Your Hood" night where people from other cities come to represent their city. 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. 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 gardening on campus when he is approached by Grant and Zeke (Laz Alonso) who is Gamma’s campus president. Zeke orders two Gammas to finish DJ’s work while they take a walk. Zeke was impressed by his dancing and invites DJ to join their fraternity. DJ declines, stating he would rather battle and this insults Zeke.
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 emphasizes 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 declines because she is tutoring. DJ goes to the tutoring administration and asks them what subject April tutors, and takes up History tutorials. 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 dance floor, they start kissing but she pulls away.
DJ visits Heritage Hall and sees pictures of prominent Black people that paved the way for different sororities, including Michael Jordan and Martin Luther King Jr.. 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 fraternity name is Knucklehead.
While together, DJ tells April that he notices everything about her and she tests him by asking what her favorite color is. He would guess that it was green through noticing things of her's that are of that color.
When April has dinner with Grant, he suddenly gives her a ring. She asks him what her favorite 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 and hooks with DJ.
Both the Gammas and Thetas have been secretly rehearsing for the Championships. DJ starts 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 apologizes 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 about his previous criminal background. Meanwhile, April and DJ are studying and DJ offers to take her out 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 learned about DJ's background from the Gammas and the school Board suspends him for the remainder of the year. Afterwards, DJ meets 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.
Fearing the loss of his daughter, Dr. Palmer has agreed to reinstate DJ, and they go to the Nationals together.
The finals of the stepping competition are between the Gammas and the Thetas, who must have a dance off to determine the winner. Each team must choose one dancer to go head to head with each other.
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. After Grant finishes, DJ puts on the gloves Duron was wearing when he danced in the beginning of the movie 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.
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