When Frances goes with her parents to an upscale Catskills resort for the summer of 1963, she falls for the rebellious dance instructor Johnny Castle, which gets her into a conflict with her father who opposes their relationship.
When an American family moves to Havana for the father's promotion, their daughter Katey, a high school senior, meets a waiter who introduces her to the world of Cuban dancing. When one of her acquaintances gets him fired, Katey asks him to enter a dance contest with her to raise funds.