Ok first let me start out by getting the racial elements out there. I am a 39yr old white woman from suburbia. So please excuse my ignorance.
I absolutely loved the movie. The characters and the stepping. What I want to know is this based on reality? Are there step competitions? Are there underground Step offs? Are there colleges where this is relative?
yes, stepping is part of the fraternities and sororities on black college campuses. us Negroes sure love to dance!
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a 39yr old white woman from suburbia liked this movie?... well that's an absolute first
eh anyway, your question "is this based on reality". Most of the movie (i.e. the plot and whatnot) is widely melodramatic and cliched. And I think the fact that there are no other races in the movie other than that of African-Americans add to that. "Stepping" is a dance that was developed and made popular by blacks. As for these competitions, I have no idea. Being a black guy myself, not in a fraternity, I do not know. Probably a cross-fraternity competition thing.
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I know I'm a few years late but I feel like you deserve a serious answer to your question.
Stepping was originated by the historically black fraternities and sororities. It's not limited to historically black college campuses though, since these fraternities and sororities are in universities all over the United States.
Over the years, other minority organizations (such as predominantly Latin Fraternities and Sororities) have adopted stepping as part of their traditions as well.
There are step competitions at the campus level, as well as regional and national competitions.
Now, how close is this to real life? The nine historically black fraternities and sororities in the National Panhellenic Council (NPHC), also referred to as the Divine 9, are usually in constant competition, since they cater to the same specific sector of college students. While stepping is more of a tradition, it's a great way for these organizations to "market" themselves. Aside from competitions, they step during "yard shows" (essentially, step exhibitions) on their respective campuses, and also during "probates," or "coming out shows," where fraternities and sororities show the public who their new members are (the movie alluded to a probate in the scene where the MUs have their initiates come out wearing these wolf masks and the THETAs' initiates had hoodies on, which they took off and we find out for the first time that DJ is a THETA).
I also noticed similarities between the movie's Theta Nu Theta & Mu Gamma Xi, and the real Alpha Phi Alpha & Kappa Alpha Psi, both members of the NPHC. For example, the fictional and real fraternities I just mentioned share the same colors, respectively. (A fraternity's colors are usually pretty distinct and help to stand out from the other organizations.)
Unfortunately, I don't know much about the "underground" dance offs so I can't answer that part of your question.