An old African-American college tradition stepped into the national limelight big time last weekend with the $22-million opening of the film "Stomp the Yard," offering a glimpse into black Greek life that many people never get to see, local enthusiasts said.

"I think it's a good idea," Nate Clarke of Flint, a junior at the University of Michigan- and stepmaster for the school's chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

Hours of practice and drill-team coordination go into step shows, which draw packed houses on college campuses from Ann Arbor to Atlanta. It's also popular among the noncampus crowd - a recent high school step show at Whiting Auditorium was a sellout.

"My daughter is a sophomore at Grambling (University in Louisiana), and people would be in line at 6 p.m. for a step show at 7," said Sam Wells, immediate past president of Alpha Phi Alpha's Flint alumni chapter.  more >>