Thanks.
 

Thanks for your response. I'm thinking that other people may get the same idea--that we recruit people for their dancing skills. :rolleyes: Maybe I'm old.

In reply to Camryn: it's great to hear they have a talented dancer in the lead role; he's cute, too.

Saw the movie
 

Hello All,

I actually got to see a rough edit of the movie. It was pretty good and well received by the test audience. There is an effort made in the movie the educate Columbus Short's character about the overall significance of BGLOs and the history of stepping. Based on some responses from the test audiences some scenes are in re-shoots and there are new edits going on to clarify some confusion that audience members had. But overall the casting was great and the film was interesting, not deep, but interesting!

Choo-ChooAKA: That he is! It was so funny when we had rehearsal, the girls I danced with would pull out sports bras and biker shorts instead of regular dance clothes. Can you imagine wearing make-up to rehearsal. LOL! They were crazy about him.

EyesOnThePrize: That's good to hear. I wish I could see a rough edit! I'm still sittin' here waiting...impatiently...

my assumption is that is going to be for BGLOs what "drumline" was for HBCU bandsmen: interesting, but not deep; entertaining even if not accurate / realistic.

overall, i look forward to seeing this movie.

took the words out of my... fingertips?

i expected not to like "drumline" but turns out i really enjoyed it. maybe this one will woo me?

honestly, id rather it be entertaining and shallow than try to be deep and miss the mark. no one like cheesy movies with a message.

Hmmmm?
 

What I find interesting from the trailer is that the young man does not have ANY heritage to any fraternal organization. Meaning, going away to a small college is his first exposure to the BGLO's System. And he makes a decision to join an organization and take them to the Step Show Championships.

Now, my question is who on this movie is actively part of an NPHC organization. And somehow, this aspect of African American life was "greenlighted by the Hollywood 3 Wise Men"... So, somebody high up must have given the screenplay a chance...

I expect that the movie will be just like everyone says above, but the D9 will have some re-grouping to do. I'd say we all need to go back to our respective communities and proactively make efforts to work with whatever happens to this kind of movie...

It feels like we will be "selling ourselves out again", like how our elders lost "rock and roll"...

I know the scenario you described is rare, but I had a pretty similar experience. I went to exclusively black schools until I was in 4th grade, and even when I went to racially mixed (50/50 black/white) schools I didn't have any exposure to black fraternity or sorority members. And I grew up in The Black Mecca! I saw people with license plates on their cars, but I didn't know what the letters meant - I just knew they were greek letters.

It wasn't until I unearthed my sister's old yearbooks from her days at an HBCU -- during my first year of college at age 19 -- that I became aware of the NPHC orgs.

Date: November 25, 2006

To: The Members of the Council of Presidents

From: Darryl R. Matthews, Sr.
General President - AÖA

Re: Rainforest Productions, Sony Pictures, et¢al
Stomp the Yard

To Whom It May Concern:

Please know that Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. does not endorse the film Stomp the Yard. The Fraternity prefers not to be associated with a movie that juxtaposes gang activity with that of black greek life. The Fraternity, through its general counsel, made a direct request to the film's producers to not include any trademarks of the Fraternity in their film. The producers ignored that request and included the Fraternity's trademarks in the film without permission. Their act of defiance is illegal and will be addressed through the proper legal channels. To that end, the Fraternity has requested that Sony pictures and Rainforest productions cease and desist from distribution of this movie due to the unauthorized use of Alpha's trademarks.

The Fraternity owns a family of trademarks that include Federal registration numbers 2227381, 2218329, 2770575, 2481901, 2178342, 1459737, 1459736 and 1459735. The Fraternity has at least ten additional applications for registration currently pending before the United States Patent and Trademark office. The majority of these trademarks have been in use since as early as 1906, the year of the founding of the Fraternity. All of these marks are rigorously protected by the Fraternity.

It is truly unfortunate that the Fraternity has to divert its attention to this matter during this its centennial year. However, the fraternity will protect its legacy and its future and we respectfully request that you not contribute to the illegal acts of the producers of this film by paying money to view it or by promoting it.

OOOOOhhhh, Sony's gonna get sued.....

I'm looking forward to this movie.

Oh, the irony! :rolleyes:

Wooowwww... unbelievable and yet believable. *excuse me while I pick up my jaw* So sad...

AKA joins APA
 

right

I am too. I hope the acting isn't bad though.