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'Step'

U.S. Documentary; 83 minutes.

Amanda Lipitz's documentary "Step" is one of the biggest crowd-pleasers at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, and deservedly so, as it exuberantly tells the life-affirming story of a remarkable group of young women in inner-city Baltimore.

The Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women was founded in 2009 with a handful of sixth-graders who, as the movie starts in fall 2015, are in their senior year. They also are living in a Baltimore recently struck by the fallout from the police-caused death of Freddie Gray and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.

One of the strengths of the school is the Lethal Ladies of BLSYW, which performs "step" routines at competitions around Maryland. The LLOB, as they call themselves, are preparing for their biggest competition of the season — one that they have not won in the last few years.

While showing the tough rehearsal routines, Lipitz focuses on the academic challenges of three of the step team members. Blessin, one of the team's founders, struggles with failing attendance and falling grades. Cori, the shy one, dreams of attending Johns Hopkins University, but her family's finances won't allow it without a scholarship. And Tayla deals with mortification caused by her mother, who attends nearly every practice.

In following these stories, Lipitz captures the mission of BLSYW, and the hard work and dedication of the school's staff as they strive to get every single girl into college — which means, in some cases, being the first in their family to do so. Lipitz also conveys the passion and heart these girls have for performing, and for making their lives better.

— Sean P. Means —

Also showing:

"Step" screens again at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival at the following times and venues:

• Monday, Jan. 23, 3 p.m., Broadway Centre Cinema 6, Salt Lake City

• Thursday, Jan. 26, 5:30 p.m., Egyptian Theatre, Park City

• Saturday, Jan. 28, 12:15 p.m., Temple Theatre, Park City