Movies: 'Step Up 2 the Streets' out of step

We've barely cooled our heels over "How She Move," and now it's time to "Step Up 2 the Streets"? They're the same movie, at least in terms of story arc. Poor girl tries to make a break for herself by winning a big step competition. Her academics, her new school, compete with her old "crew" for her mortal soul. Ahem, sole.

This sequel to 2006's "Step Up" is a slicker, more graceful and sexier drama about step dance -- rhythmically choreographed high-speed break-dancing. From its Disney-approved teen-model cast to the whitebread script, it's "Move" without the edge. Like the original "Step Up," it's about a kid who finds love and purpose when she synthesizes her mad street skillz with some formal dance training. Only not. The sequel just flat-out disses ballet, even as it showcases some serious choreography in its show-stopping dance numbers. Interesting mixed message about discipline and skill vs. "talent."

Andie (Briana Evigan, daughter of actor Greg Evigan) is from the tough streets of Baltimore. She's growing up without parents, taken in by a friend of her mother. She's part of the 410 crew, merry dance pranksters given to staging inventive and masked bits of street theater/dance on the subways. They videotape such stunts and post them on the Web.

But Andie needs purpose. She's challenged to a battle. If she loses, she has to audition for the Maryland School for the Arts. That's where Andie meets the handsome Chase (Robert Hoffman). And that's where she runs afoul of Chase's by-the-book choreographer-brother, Blake (Will Kemp).

Will Andie find love? Will she fit in? Will her old crew, led by the hotheaded Tuck (Black Thomas), let her move on? And will they all meet and duel in The Street, the annual rave/dance-off that gives bragging rights to the best crew in Baltimore?

Maybe. Definitely.

Evigan is about as "street" as a dog-show poodle, from her perfectly coiffed 'do to her vast collection of midriff-baring T-shirts and tops. A baseball cap does not a hood rat make. Not a tattoo or piercing to be seen, either.

The dance has to be good because the rest of the movie is one long cliché, from Andie's obligatory black girlfriend and Latina girlfriend (cover the bases, Disney) to the collection of stereotypes that she and Chase assemble for their MSA crew -- a nerd who channels Michael Jackson moves, a language-mangling Japanese girl stepper, assorted other "misfits."

But the slang ("Go school them fools"), the perky players and a couple of the dance numbers keep "Step Up 2" on its feet just long enough to work up a sweat. Just don't expect to recognize the "streets" here. The only traffic these fantasy avenues handle is starlets.