‘Step Up’ Recap: ‘Ain’t Gon’ Let Up’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 302 of ‘Step Up’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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When we last settled in to discuss the always dynamic and engaging STARZ series, Step Up, the heroes of High Water were facing quite the uncertain future. After all, Sage was facing murder charges for a murder he did not commit and that put his burgeoning business at complete and utter risk. For there was a chance the tour was going to be cancelled and of course… he would lose everything, including High Water in the process and that left us, quite worried. Because we have watched Oadalie and the crew come up from nothing to something, and the thought that they might have their dreams snatched from them was terrifying to say the least. 
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In fact, the prospect of that loomed large over a fair chunk of this week’s episode of the show. For ‘Ain’t Gon’ Let Up’ explored that strange purgatory that our favorite dancers were stuck within mentally, and it seemed a lot of them were ready to just… let go and move on. Because they knew of the gravity of this mess and while the tour was everything they ever wanted, they knew it might not happen and that moving on and starting over might be the best way to handle this. If anything, the only person that seemed to be in a good place mentally, was Odalie. After all, she was a star at this point and had all kinds of money coming in from her sponsorship. So, she just, lived life to the best of her ability in this moment.

Which included befriending Angel and hanging out with her since she made it clear she idolized Odalie. Which in turn allowed for them to hang out and celebrate Odalie’s new standing in life and get close as the day went along. Super close in fact, something that might be quite important down the line. But for now, there were other matters at hand to deal with. Because while Odalie was doing her thing with Angel, Poppy was trying desperately to get Rigo to take Sage’s deal. Because it would have offered her so much in life and of course, it would also make Rigo a star. But he refused the deal left and right, on principle of what happened to his father. But eventually… she was able to reach him, and a deal came to fruition, with some caveats of course. 

In that, Rigo would be the new boss of well… everything. And he would also headline the tour and retool the show, so it was focused on him and a new experience for the fans and that was shockingly problematic. Because it also gave Poppy power and put her back inside the walls of High Water and she saw this an opportunity to flex up and announce that it was a level playing field at the studio going forward. A move that surprised Odalie since she’s suddenly in back row again and that more or less… set the stage for some serious drama going forward. The kind that is going to bring about all kinds of conflicts at High Water and beyond.

Because just like that, Sage and his vision are out of the picture for the foreseeable future. And he has in essence handed over his dream and inadvertently the dreams of others, to a pair of young guns with big aspirations in their hearts and stars in their eyes and that is clearly going to create friction. Because they have raw power and the kind of ambition that will prompt them to flex hard over others and that is never pretty, and it will be genuinely interesting to see what comes next for High Water and its talented dancers. For they are entering a unique new chapter in the studio’s history, one that might take it to new heights or bring it crashing down… depending on how well Poppy and Rigo adapt and grow. Until next time.

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