COLLEEN BANKS is strikingly beautiful – yellow gold skin tone, big, deep green eyes, and a small, fit body that looks like it could carry her through just about anything. She has smarts, a dynamic personality, and a wealthy white fiancé, Richard. But two very important things are preventing her from feeling fully fulfilled and content: 1. She doesn’t have a stable job, and, 2. She is having a biracial identity crisis. So, when she accepts an offer as the temporary dance teacher at a performing arts school in Detroit, reality sets in that either life’s obstacles will be amplified, or a renewed chapter in life is set to begin.
Detroit School of Arts isn’t your ordinary school; these youngsters are accustomed to the woes of inner city living and the disappointing inconsistencies of faculty in a challenging school district. After all, it is Detroit—The Motor City; a place routinely ranked as one of the most violent places to live.
Burt is a confident, outspoken, talented black teen who lives in a broken home. His sister, Sasha, is extremely ill with Sickle Cell Disease; and their mother has nearly given up on parenting. Burt’s classmate, Cocoa, is a shy, often-misunderstood girl that is one of the best dancers in the city. Her lack of confidence is the only thing holding her back from becoming a social media phenomenon. Lastly is their informed sidekick, Andre, who’s always finding himself in the middle of drama. A sad incident involving a racist police officer leaves Andre wishing he had another opportunity to reconsider ever leaving the house that day.
As Colleen adjusts to being at a “black” school, parts of her life begin to unravel. The desire to plan her wedding comes to a halt and her fiancé’s brother, Officer Ryan, becomes a detested target for the Black Lives Matter Movement when he shoots an unarmed teenager. She is offered a permanent teaching position at a prestigious high school in the midst of finally building a rapport with her students. Oh, and she’s beginning to realize that going through with her marriage might be a mistake after an altercation ensues between her and her fiancé’s family.
When Colleen signs her class up for a dance competition, she realizes that their chances of winning may be a stretch. However, tapping into their roots – the streets of Detroit – they are able to prove that dancing is in fact, an integral part of who they are. Colleen and Waylon are inspired and motivated to start prepping them for the dance competition when they display their canny ability to JIT, a dynamic style of dance born in the “D”. Meanwhile, Colleen’s personal problems at home continue to mount. She questions her fiancés viewpoints on race, leading her to finally call things off with Richard…moving one step closer to accepting her entire self – even if he cannot. All to subsequently take a step back by being reminded of the overt racism still lurking in our society when Colleen is nearly raped at the hands of two confederate flag touting white men.
A Sole of Their Own concludes with the DANCE IDOLS dance competition where special guest LIZZO is in attendance. Disappointed by Colleen’s inability to be present at the competition, the students’ spirits are down. But after a Vince Lombardi-like inspirational speech by Waylon, coupled with Colleen’s surprise appearance, they rally together to win the dance competition. This celebration is short lived when they learn that the school will be closing its doors soon. However, a generous donation by the Detroit Police Department, and the City of Detroit, is enough to keep the school open, and more black youth off the street. Colleen is ultimately offered the role of dance teacher at Detroit School of Arts, which she gladly accepts.
