| Episode |
"Step Class" is the ninth episode of the first season of ABC's hit mockumentary-sitcom Abbott Elementary. It was directed by Shahrzad Davani and written by Joya McCrory. The episode first aired on ABC on February 22, 2022, with 3.06 million viewers and received positive reviews from critics.
Description[]
Ava asks Janine to help her teach the after-school step class, but they don't agree on how to run the program; Gregory must reveal a secret when Barbara, Melissa and Jacob plan a pizza "eat-off."
Plot[]
Melissa comes enters the teachers’ lounge in a good mood. She announces to everybody that she has another date with Gary, the vending machine guy, on Thursday. Ava then chimes in saying that Thursday is the sexiest day of the week. The others then give their favorite days of the week, with Janine saying that hers is Monday because it is when she gets to see them again. The other teachers end their conversation and leave, saying that it’s the worst day of the week.
Janine has been teaching step dance to kids after school. She excitedly hands out flyers for their step dance show next Friday. Ava sees the flyers and volunteers to help Janine teach in the step class as step used to be her thing in college and was her sorority’s Step Master. Janine accepts her offer, but Melissa and Barbara are doubtful Ava can commit to it, saying Ava is too selfish and unreliable to see this through. Janine insists on giving Ava a chance.
Meanwhile, in the teachers’ lounge Melissa brings a pizza from Dough Nuts, who she claims to make the best pizzas in Philly. This leads to the others disclosing who they think makes the best pizza. Barbara suggests they bring their favorite pizza tomorrow so they can have an eat-off and decide which is the best. When Gregory is about to leave, Jacob asks for his favorite pizza, and he nervously states that it’s pizza from Say Cheese in Baltimore. He then proceeds to describe an unappetizing pizza as his favorite and then leaves hurriedly.
The step dancers are unenthusiastic about Janine's routine.
After school, Janine starts her step class with stretching but the students aren’t too enthusiastic. Ava then arrives and brings some tacos for them to eat. Janine protests as the children won’t be able to dance with full stomachs. Ava explains that stepping is half stepping and half "farting around" and that they have to bond. Janine objects, stating that the children need structure and discipline. She is nervous that Ava and her might not be able to work well together.
The following day, the teachers proceed with their pizza eat-off. Jacob once again calls to Greg for his opinion, but Gregory declines, claiming that all other pizza would be trash to him, unless it’s from Baltimore. As it happens, Jacob drove two hours to Baltimore to order the kind of pizza Gregory described from Say Cheese. As Gregory takes a slice, her confesses that he does not like pizza. The others seem offended at the this and he admits that he can only eat four to five kinds of food and sticks to eating those. He then leaves and says that the reason he never tells anybody that he hates pizza is because people act like it’s a personal attack.
Ava with the Abbott Steppers, sharing food and gossip.
In another session of step class, Janine insists that they start practicing or their routine since last time, everyone was too full to dance. Ava sees the start of the routine and immediately stops them. She talks to Janine, saying that the royalty free music she’s using is "wack" and their moves were "tired." She then asks the kids to put on some "good music" and they dance to Cardi B. Janine objects, once again, saying that the point of their class was to teach the kids structure and responsibility, not Cardi B. lyrics. Ava counters that step is supposed to be fun and about expressing oneself and you use that to create a routine. The kids then vote to do a new routine, which leaves Janine disappointed.
Janine shares to Gregory and Jacob that she has been ousted as step instructor and that they chose Ava over her. The two get Janine to see that the kids and Ava are engaged in what they’re doing which was the whole point of the class. Janine admits that she is just hurt that the kids did not choose her, but what is important is that the kids are into it and are having fun. The following day, Janine apologizes to Ava for how she has been behaving. Ava accepts her apology and shows her their new step routine.
In the teachers’ lounge, Janine shares her excitement over the new routine to Melissa, Barbara and Jacob. They are all surprised by the progress Ava made. Janine then states that Ava is actually a good leader, having showed up to the step class every day. Melissa and Barbara cannot believe this, and they remain skeptical, stating that there has to be a catch. Janine looks out the window and sees Gregory eating inside of his car. Melissa, Barbara and Jacob go down to check on him. Gregory locks himself inside his car while eating his boiled chicken sandwich and tells them to leave him alone.
Mr. Johnson performing some "magic tricks" to buy time for Janine.
On the day of the step dance show, the show is about to start when one of the step dancers goes to Janine to inform her that Ava had already left because something came up and left her to handle the routine. Barbara and Melissa say their I-told-you-so’s and Janine looks for Ava, with Mr. Johnson buying her some time.
Janine finds and Ava and expresses how disappointed she is, and how she defended her after everyone else told her not to trust Ava. Just then, Ava’s grandmother arrives, with her caretaker telling her that she just had an episode and that she needed to see Ava to calm down. Janine feels bad having misjudged Ava.
At the gym, the teachers go to Gregory and tell him it’s okay to be weird since they all have something weird about themselves.
The Abbott Steppers successfully perform their routine during the step dance show.
Meanwhile, Janine apologizes for everything she said. Ava explains that her grandmother has been staying with her for the past couple weeks and that she just found a place that could take care of her full-time. She adds that her grandmother was just not used to it yet. Janine then offers to still do the performance together and they proceed back to the gym. The Abbott Steppers perform their routine, and the crowd applauds them. The teachers congratulate Janine for a successful show. Janine asks Gregory to grab some pizza after, and he accepts, stating that it sounds delicious.
The following day, Janine is practicing step dance in her classroom. Ava enters the room, and they have a mini step dance off.
Starring[]
- Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues
- Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie
- Janelle James as Ava Coleman
- Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa Schemmenti
- Chris Perfetti as Jacob Hill
- Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard
Guest Starring[]
Co-Starring[]
- Symone Davenport as Dominique/Dancer #2
- Asia Franklin as Step Dancer #4
- Reatha Grey as Lorraine (Ava's Grandmother)
- Taylor Hardwick as Step Dancer #5
- Taneya Harrison as Step Dancer #6
- Sarai Hicks as Step Dancer #7
- Kalani LeJohn as Step Dancer #8
- James McNamara as Jeremiah (Dancer #3)
- Sanaa Musaddiq as Shayla
- London Powell as Step Dancer #9
- Rashawn Nadine Scott as Caregiver
- Kamta Tucker as Step Dancer #10
Ratings[]
"Step Class" was watched by 3.055 million viewers, earning a 0.64 in the 18-49 rating demographics on the Nielson ratings scale.[1]
Media[]
Episode stills[]
References[]
- ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (February 24, 2022). SHOWBUZZDAILY's Tuesday 2.22.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals UPDATED. ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved on December 12, 2022.