New York City Digs
New Location Inspires New Story
For “Step Up 3D” the story moves from the familiar surroundings of Baltimore’s elite Maryland School of the Arts (MSA) to the giddy wonderland of New York City, maintaining the proven formula of timely urban street choreography intertwined with a fresh, original story line.
Says producer Erik Feig, “The ‘Step Up’ films have always been a great roller coaster ride for audiences around the world—going to locations with relatable characters and seeing amazing dance. With this film, we knew we wanted to take everything to the next level and New York is the perfect fit for the adventure.”
“The city has so much history, so much culture, and people come from all over the world to New York City to live out their dreams,” adds Chu. “We thought it was the perfect setting for our character Moose to meet some of the best dancers around the world and be forced to make decisions in his own life about what he really loves. We had a variety of worlds where we could visit—Chinatown, Red Hook, the Financial District, Times Square, Brooklyn. New York gave us a great palette to shoot in 3D and we really wanted to take our audience on a journey.”
With writers Amy Andelson and Emily Meyers (“Step Up 2 The Streets”), Chu went to work on developing the material that retained the heart of its predecessor, yet instilled a deeper element of fantasy, both whimsical and edgy, that would permeate every facet of the film.
To make the most of the musical numbers Chu envisioned for his off-kilter take on this dance drama, the writers made sure that dance would drive the narrative. “When Jon approached us with his vision for the third movie,” says Andelson, “he said it was really important to him to do something different, to maintain the romance that the franchise is famous for, but to take dance out of the studio and out into the world.
What’s so fun is we really get to see dance that’s never been featured in a film before and there’s even more dance numbers than in the previous movie.”
Chu had unabashed enthusiasm for showcasing the best of the best when it came to modern, innovative dance sequences—from a tap-dancing extravaganza to a sensual tango to an adrenaline-fueled street battle, the director did not hold back. Both Shankman and Gibgot, who themselves have extensive dance backgrounds, were more than willing to toss a wide variety of music and dance into the mix. “As long as it’s good dance it doesn’t matter what style it is, you will always get a great response,” says Gibgot. “It all works organically in the story so we enjoyed mixing it up.”
In fact, the premise for “Step Up 3D” was largely inspired by Chu’s absorption into the diverse, but sometimes segmented community of gifted dancers he met on the Baltimore set of “Step Up 2 The Streets.” Self-taught b-boy and b-girl street dancers, poppers, lockers and tickers often did not kick back with formally trained tap, modern or ballet dancers. Chu watched as everyone’s distinct dance style cross-pollinated into a new family of dancers with mixed disciplines. He likens this new circle of friends, in spirit, to Andy Warhol’s famed Factory where artists of every stripe would come together for a common love of creating art, dance and music.
“Shooting in NY definitely contributes to the wish fulfillment aspect to the film,” Gibgot says. “It is a city where anything can happen and is obviously a giant melting pot of so many different cultures living together on this small island.”
On The Set
After weeks of daily dance rehearsals, principal photography on “Step Up 3D” began in May 2009. Over the course of the ten- week shoot, production would hopscotch across the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Iconic locations like Coney Island, Washington Square Park, Grand Central Station and the Brooklyn Bridge were interspersed with the lesser- known, more industrial sections of Brooklyn that illustrated an urban blight essential to telling the story.
It was in Greenpoint, a decaying Brooklyn neighborhood that is on the cusp of a renaissance, where the filmmakers transformed 10,000 square feet of a vacant commercial space into the three interior sets for the House of Pirates’ loft, also utilizing the adjacent rooftops that boasted extraordinary views of Manhattan across the river.
If the response by cast and crew was any indication, production designer Devorah Herbert and her team hit the mark when it came to creating a funky, eclectic space that was fully functional. Chu would often ask the dancers to free style for some of the dance montages and the sets allowed them free reign to do so.
The New York locale proved an inspiration not just to filmmakers, but to the cast, too. “New York City is crazy,” says Adam G. Sevani, who portrays Moose. “There’s no other place like it in the world. It really has a pulse—everybody’s moving and doing something. There’s a rhythm and a flow where everybody’s kind of dancing together. It’s actually pretty cool that we’re able to film here.”
One of the more memorable moments of filming on “Step Up 3D” was the four-day shoot for the World Jam battle, a herculean effort that entailed weeks of preparation in terms of construction, lighting, dancing, and the sheer number of people working to accomplish the film’s mind-blowing finale.
Key to their approach of high visual impact was injecting everything with vibrant electricity. From the production design to the lighting installation to costume design, every element of the scene was exploding with light and built to propel Rich & Tone’s ingenious choreography to the next level. An elevated coliseum-like stage was surrounded by towering vertical columns of LED video panels that televised a constant display of motion graphics from flames to a giant equalizer to pulsing colors.
Director of photography Ken Seng calls the lighting and technology display “epic,” citing the scope and use of new wind vision panels utilizing more than 1,000 dimmer channels, which awed the crowd before the dancers even hit the stage. His free-moving camera set-up allowed for his camera operators to fully capture the dance action playing out on stage.
Despite an early 4 a.m. arrival time, more than 1,000 people showed up at the Brooklyn Navy Yard eager to act as background and witness amazing dancing and filming of “Step Up 3D.”
“Dance is universal and our dance movie series is universally loved,” says producer Erik Feig. “Dance is such a fantasy; our dancers may make it look easy, but it’s not! It’s an amazing wish fulfillment to see people who are truly the best in the business pulling off new and exciting moves. Add to that a strong romance and relatable underdog characters and you have a winning formula around the world.” “Dance is universal and our dance movie series is universally loved,” says producer Erik Feig. “Dance is such a fantasy; our dancers may make it look easy, but it’s not! It’s an amazing wish fulfillment to see people who are truly the best in the business pulling off new and exciting moves. Add to that a strong romance and relatable underdog characters and you have a winning formula around the world.”
Populating the House of Pirates
Filmmakers Cast Net Wide to Fill High-Action Roles
“Step Up 3D” expands the repertoire of dance by embracing a more global point of view and recruiting young fiery dancers who embodied it heart and soul. Integrating this into New York’s hypnotic underground dance scene provided a wealth of options for the filmmakers and would prove to be the crux of this new vision of the urban fairy tale.
With a multilayered story, electrifying dance sequences and intense drama, filmmakers were challenged with finding a well-rounded mix of actors, dancers and performers who could do both.
“Casting for this franchise is always complicated,” says Shankman. “We needed people who can act and dance alongside the best b-boys and b-girls. It’s wonderful to showcase the kinds of dancers that you don’t get to see as often. These kids are incredible athletes.” Filmmakers kicked off the ensemble cast by welcoming back “Step Up 2 The Streets” veteran Adam G. Sevani and “Step Up’s” Alyson Stoner. The combined dance and acting ability of the two teens ensured that the MSA-tinged arc would remain a strong, compelling part of the “Step Up” story. The stars, who have known each other for years, reconnected to play best friends. “I’ve known Alyson Stoner forever,” says Sevani. “One of my first jobs ever was with her and now we’re playing best friends. It’s so strange. This is how we are.”
“We were instantly comfortable with each other,” adds Stoner. “Adam continually amazes me with how he expresses his character and personality in his dancing and acting. It was nice to be able to work so effortlessly together.”
Filmmakers next tackled the House of Pirates, a motley group of performers who live, dance and play together. This NYC group, who meets Moose and guides him through the shiny new world, features a diverse cast of characters—each with a gripping story.
Actor Rick Malambri portrays Luke, a hip video auteur who chronicles the city’s underground scene while simultaneously maintaining the House of Pirates. For Malambri, the role presented the opportunity to combine his newfound passion for acting with his longstanding one for dance. “How fortunate am I that my first major film role is in ‘Step Up 3D’ and I get to play this great character? As a performer, it allows me to show I’ve got a few talents up my sleeve,” says the actor.
Malambri’s chemistry with actress Sharni Vinson, a lithe Australian tapped for the role of the enigmatic Natalie, was palpable. Vinson, a former ballet dancer who went on to star in the popular Australian television series “Home and Away” (a launching pad for actors Naomi Watts, Isla Fisher, Heath Ledger and Simon Baker, among others), added a plucky refinement to the quirky cast of misfits. “It was weird,” says the actress of the audition. “I read with several actors, but when I walked out of the audition I knew that if I was going to get it, I was going to get it with Rick.”
Many of the dancers featured in “Step Up 3D” are celebrities in their own right. Chu especially was aware of many of the top dancers around the world via the online postings through his side project, the LXD—Legion of Extraordinary Dancers. The filmmakers cast a wide net—in and beyond the dance centers of Los Angeles, New York and Miami—to tap into young, up-and-coming talent who were needed to fill the more than 250 slots for the film’s astounding six dance sequences.
“Our Los Angeles audition was so huge that we had to add multiple days,” says Chu. “There were thousands of people who turned out in each city to show what they could do. Then we hit the Internet and opened up auditions to anyone who wanted to submit their own dance audition video online. As a result we have dancers from all over the world in the film. It’s one of the most amazing collections of talent in one place at one time that’s ever been assembled for a movie.”
Augmenting the live and online audition process was Shankman’s role on the hit Fox television series “So You Think You Can Dance.” Shankman, a former dancer and choreographer, has had a front-row seat for performances of the show’s influx of talented dancers, some of whom were tapped for “Step Up 3D.” Most notably is Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the remarkable runner-up in season four of the popular series, who has a co-starring role as Jason, the b-boy graffiti artist in the Pirate crew. Boss was one of thousands of hopefuls who flooded the dance auditions; the talented freestyler also wanted to try his hand at acting. “I was walking out of the dance audition,” he says, “and I asked Jon and Adam if I might be able to come in and read for a part. A couple of weeks later I came back in and read, which was a little nerve-racking but exciting. Soon after that I got the call.”
Joining Boss is season four winner Joshua Allen who goes head to head with Sevani in a mind-blowing battle, as well as Katee Shean (season four third-place finalist), Cedric Gardner (season three), Ivan Koumaev (season two) and Gerard Heintz (season one).
Says Shankman, “It’s gratifying to see these talented dancers transition from that competition setting and then actually go to work. It’s a nice payoff for them, and thrilling to see that the show is working.”
Several of the dancers hail from the LXD, a dance opera being told in three volumes. Chu created the dance group after he directed “Step Up 2 The Streets”; the group features many different kinds of dancers—from hip-hop, jazz and contemporary to tap, among others. They’ve performed on the “Glee” live tour, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” the 2010 TED Conference and the 2010 Academy Awards®; 40 dancers appear in “Step Up 3D.”
“The idea for the movie came a lot from the LXD,” says Chu. “We were doing a show in my hometown, and the dancers were all staying at my house. Because they were always around, naturally, they were always moving or dancing. We had b-boys in my pool, poppers in my living room, contortionists in my kitchen. That’s how we came up with the idea for the House of Pirates. When it came time to cast, I had lots of ideas of who I wanted to recruit from the LXD and put in ‘Step Up 3D.’ I was looking for the best dancers to be in the movie, and the LXD already had some of the best dancers in the world—it just made sense.”
Real-life fairy tale stories abound for most of the supporting cast of dancers. B-boy Keith “Remedy” Stallworth found himself cast in the supporting role of Jacob, an African refugee who finds his place and solace among the Pirates. Stallworth’s co-star tWitch isn’t surprised by the b-boy spring-boarding to a meaty acting role. “My boy Remedy keeps me on my A game—not only with dance, but with the acting thing in general. The way he approaches everything is all business.”
The titian-haired Kendra Andrews, a formally trained dancer, took planes, trains and automobiles for her final audition to land the role of Anala, the beatific mother hen to the Pirates.
And perhaps the most compelling tale that personifies the adage of being in the right place at the right time is that of identical twin tap dancers Martin and Facundo Lombard. The brothers, accomplished performance artists, stumbled upon New York’s long line of dancers waiting to audition for the film. The self-taught Argentinean dancers crashed the audition and wowed the filmmakers and the choreography team with their rousing footwork, larger-than-life personalities and inimitable personal style. “They just started dancing and we were amazed,” recalls supervising choreographer Jamal Sims. “It was totally something new and they had all this personality.”
Chu cast them on the spot and began to incorporate them into the script, crafting their on- camera alter egos, the Santiago twins, who would become a part of the House of Pirates.
Also joining the cast is a who’s who of bona fide dancers from b-boys Daniel “Cloud” Campos, Oren “Flearock” Michaeli, Ivan “Flipz” Perez, and Jonathan “Legacy” Perez, a member of The LXD and a recent contestant on season six of “So You Think You Can Dance” to tickers Aja “Asia” George, Straphanio “Shonnie” Solomon and Terrence Dickson to Joe Slaughter, Ashlee Nino and robot master Chadd “Madd Chadd” Smith, a mainstay of dance blogs and YouTube® as well as a member of The LXD.
Filmmakers brought back some of the more memorable characters featured in “Step Up 2 The Streets” for scenes in which Moose calls in his crew from MSA to inject a fresh dose of energy to his newfound friends, knowing that his old friends couldn’t resist the offer to battle the best dancers the world had to offer. Danielle Polanco’s sassy Missy and Mari Koda’s kinetic Japanese exchange student Jenny Kido are joined by Harry Shum Jr. (Cable, the gadget guru). Christopher Scott, who portrays the long-haired tap dancer returns sans the long locks; Luis Rosado returns as Monster, the acrobatic b-boy; LaJon Dantzler plays Smiles, the off-beat personality with the winning smile; and Janelle Cambridge plays Fly, the introvert who transforms into a gregarious girl when the music plays.
Rounding out the cast are four young dancers, including 8-year-old Anjelo “Lil Demon” Baligad (cast online when he posted an audition video and voted for Chu’s crew), 9-year-old Jalen “J Styles” Testerman, 11-year-old Simrin “BGirl Simi” Player and 15-year-old Jose “Boy Boi” Tena. The gifted breakers proved they could hold their own against dancers twice their age, hitting the dance floor stunning fellow cast, crew and background extras with their highly stylized acrobatic moves.
tWitch best sums up the collective feeling about the abundance of talent the film has to offer: “The cast in ‘Step Up 3D’ is just bananas.”
Making the Movie
Tapping the Globe for Intense Dance Sequences
As the birthplace of hip-hop, New York City provided an unmatched multicultural atmosphere, unequivocally cool street style and an ideal backdrop for the film’s dance sequences. Director Jon M. Chu maintained the franchise’s rough-hewn emotion, introducing a more universal point of view. “We really wanted to open up the dance,” says Chu. “Not just do breaking or popping to hip-hop—we wanted to incorporate all types of dance. I wanted to share the joy of all types of dance with everybody.
“In ‘Step Up 3D,’ we try to tell more of the story through the dance,” Chu continues. “All of our actors, all of our dancers—the language they speak best is through movement and gestures. Our approach is a little different than other dance movies.”
It’s an approach that executive producer David Nicksay feels reinforces the heart of the story. “New York is a crossroads of the cultures of the world,” says Nicksay. “If you walk around the city, you’re walking around the entire globe. Every culture is represented and they all dance. Dance communicates across all boundaries. It needs no language; it needs no translation. It’s universal.”
“Step Up” helped fuel a resurgence of dance-themed movies and television shows. As a result, audiences have become savvier when it came to recognizing sharp inventive choreography, so when it came to choreography, filmmakers had to raise the bar. Once again, they looked to choreographer Jamal Sims (“Step Up,” “Step Up 2 The Streets,” Madonna, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus) to take the lead. His versatile team of choreographers was charged with redefining the series, delivering sequences of all types tinged with a modern street style.
The team of choreographers includes Nadine “Hi Hat” Ruffin and Dave Scott, who worked on “Step Up 2 The Streets,” plus brothers Richmond Talauega and Anthony Talauega, better known as Rich & Tone.
Says Sims, “It was a genius move on Jon Chu’s part to bring in different choreographers for ‘Step Up 3D.’ To be able to incorporate different styles with pros like Dave Scott, Hi Hat and Rich and Tone is just amazing. We cover the whole spectrum of dance and it’s exciting to be able to bring that to the screen.”
Sims’ contribution to the dance mix includes two wildly diverse numbers—a sensual tango featuring hundreds of slinking dancers, and a sweetly nostalgic number that pays homage to classic musicals.
Sevani, an accomplished dancer, was enthusiastic about incorporating such great counterpoint to the aggressive posturing of street dancing. “The nostalgic piece was actually the most fun dance to film. We’re bringing back a bit of the old classic feel, which is something kids in my generation don’t know that much about. It’s really the heart of the movie.”
In “Step Up 2 The Streets,” Chu introduced the premise of the dance battle in which crews go head to head in Baltimore to win respect and bragging rights. Chu returns to the concept in “Step Up 3D,” but this time the dance crews have evolved into houses—bigger teams with all types of dancers, including b-boys, tickers, tappers, voguers, and poppers. The game remains the same but the stakes are raised as dancers from around the world vie for the chance to win a worldwide title and a cash prize. Filmmakers ensure a full sensory overload with added elements like dust, water and light.
Set throughout the boroughs of New York, four of the film’s six major dance sequences highlight the adrenaline-fueled battles. Red Hook, Chinatown and Bronx set the stage for an epic test of wills and physicality that will have audiences rethinking their views of street dancing. Says Chu, “These battles are real. You’re out there fighting. In rehearsal, it might be fun and games but when you’re out there in front of a crowd of people, especially other dancers, battle instincts come out and it’s anyone’s game.”
Adds Sevani, “‘Step Up 3D’ is all about battles, getting in people’s faces and just going hard. That’s the underground dance life. It’s cool that we’re able to bring it to the big screen. It’s legit. We’re tapping into real life.”
Dave Scott, known for his meticulous authentic street style, was the go-to choreographer for most of the battles, including one that plays out in Washington Square Park, as well as Red Hook, a down-and-dirty number.
Rich & Tone crafted the final battle in the World Jam, the international competition that has crews from around the world going head to head. It was an ambitious undertaking that had more than 50 dancers on an elevated stage, integrating a multitude of dance styles for a show-stopping finale. Key to designing the highly stylized routine was showcasing the talented dancers within each House.
Hi Hat’s hallmark hip-hop moves were a perfect fit for the film’s dance jam in Coney Island and the battle of Gwai, another cutting-edge dance sequence. She also tackled the athletic capoeira, a Brazilian mixed martial arts dance that paired up Malambri and Vinson.
With so many different dance routines and hundreds of dancers, it was up to Sims to bring it all together. Rehearsals kicked off a month prior to production and Sims supplemented the rehearsals with conditioning and strength training. Even Sevani and Stoner, trained dancers from an early age, were pushed to the limit. “Despite the long days, it’s all worth it when everything comes together and the dancers have that fire in their eyes,” says Stoner.
“It was weeks of intense training,” recalls Malambri, “12 hours a day, nonstop. It was crazy, but totally worth it.”
Vinson took it all in stride, despite a five-year hiatus from dancing. “We were warned,” she says. “Adam Shankman told us it would be one big boot camp and that’s exactly what it was. That went on for weeks before shooting so by the time we got to that first day of filming, we were ready.”
“Dance is huge passion for Jon so what better director can you have for this film?” continues Vinson. “He knows what he wants, he knows what looks good and he gets it. It’s exciting for the actors and dancers to bring what we can to the table and trust that he is going to turn it into this incredible movie.”
The director shares her enthusiasm. “The teamwork and the brotherhood on this set is unusually special,” says Chu. “In between every take there were freestyle battles going on. I’m learning new moves. It’s a great combination of individual talent and camaraderie among the cast and crew. It makes for a knockout performance.”
Producer Patrick Wachsberger agrees. “Movies do different things, but it’s an amazing magic trick when a movie like ‘Step Up 3D’ makes you feel like you’ve been taken to a magical land, been to the best party ever, and leave the theater with a little bounce in your step.”
Styling “Step Up 3D”
Filmmakers Tap Production Designer Devorah Herbert, Costume Designers Kurt & Bart
Helping to meld “Step Up 3D’s” New York setting, iconic visual aesthetic, intense choreography and 3D imagery were production designer Devorah Herbert and the costume design team of Kurt & Bart.
Director Jon M. Chu, the consummate detail-oriented director, was singular in his approach to how all of the fundamentals would work together in the film. He’d previously collaborated with Herbert on “Step Up 2 The Streets.” This time, the enhanced fantasy element allowed the costume designer to explore her imagination. “The biggest and best challenge on ‘Step Up 3D,’ says Herbert, “was that there were essentially no limits creatively when it came to conceptualizing this fantastical environment. It’s been pretty exciting, especially with the set for the Pirates loft. These dancers live in a place where anything goes.”
Key to Herbert’s method of creating a modern gypsy lifestyle was tapping into the city’s innate energy and unique industrial cityscape. Multiple locations throughout Brooklyn and lower Manhattan provided the foundation for the gritty tone she achieved which recalled the city decades earlier.
As with almost every aspect of cultivating the film’s aesthetic, the dancer’s feedback turned out to be invaluable. From adjusting costume design to allow for Legacy to do a back flip in the Parkour Room to adding the element of offbeat duality to the Santiago Twins’ shared bedroom space, the collaborative dynamic flourished.
“The dancers have so fully informed the script and how I approached designing for the film,” says Herbert, “particularly the industrial loft where the Pirates live, work and dance. I incorporated the melting pot idea into the design.”
Kurt & Bart shared the philosophy, allowing themselves to be inspired by the existing tastes and styles of the cast. “A lot of the style in ‘Step Up 3D’ is dictated by what the dancers do,” says Bart. “Obviously a large part of it is influenced by the story, but it was also taking each dancer’s own personal style, developing that and making the final look bigger.”
“That was important to a lot of the dancers,” adds Kurt. “We went to rehearsals early on and tried to hone in on those individual styles and then take it a step beyond. The Twins, for example, always wore bandannas on their heads, so we gave them really long ones. When they move, it creates this sensation. We really just tried to take things up a notch. They’re an eclectic bunch, it was a fun experience.”
Sounds of “Step Up 3D”
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Features Flo Rida (Featuring David Guetta), Trey Songz, Roscoe Dash (Featuring T-Pain)
With its underground dance themes, fantastical New York setting and hard-hitting dance choreography, it should come as no surprise that “Step Up 3D” has a great soundtrack.
It was sort of a given. Atlantic Records’ “Step Up 3D Original Motion Picture Soundtrack,” which includes two new hit singles from Trey Songz and Flo Rida (featuring David Guetta), gathers new and previously unreleased tracks from a stunning line-up of hip-hop and R&B newcomers and superstars, including Estelle, Busta Rhymes, Roscoe Dash (featuring T-Pain), Chromeo, and Jessie McCartney. A special digital deluxe edition includes three exclusive bonus tracks, as well as the video for Laza’s “This Girl.”
The album’s recent single, Flo Rida’s “Club Can’t Handle Me (featuring David Guetta),” impacted urban and rhythmic radio outlets nationwide, and Trey Songz’ “Already Taken,” the previous single from the soundtrack, is an urban radio smash. The “Step Up 3D Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” also features some of the brightest stars in Latin music, including top-selling artists Wisin Y Yandel with their track “Irresistible,” written by the duo and produced by Tainy, Wisin Y Yandel. Additional songs include Laza’s “This Girl” and Sophia Fresh’s “This Instant.”
Step Up 3D (2010)
Directed by: Jon Chu
Starring: Harry Shum Jr. Adam G. Sevani, Sharni Vinson, Kylie Goldstein, Rick Malambri, Alyson Stoner, Kendra Andrews, Stephen Boss, Straphanio ‘Shonnie’ Solomon, Terence Dickson
Screenplay by: Amy Andelson, Emily Meyer, Duane Adler
Production Design by: Devorah Herbert
Cinematography by: Ken Seng
Film Editing by: Andrew Marcus
Costume Design by: Annie Bloom, Kurt and Bart
Set Decoration by: Regina Graves
Art Direction by: Page Buckner, Mario Ventenilla
Music by: Bear McCreary
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for brief strong language.
Distributed by: Buena Vista Pictures
Release Date: August 6, 2010
