"You've got big dreams. You want fame. Well fame costs, and right here's where you start paying ..." dance teacher Lydia Grant warns the students of New York's celebrated dream factory, the High School for the Performing Arts.

Starring Debbie Allen as Lydia, Lee Curreri as Bruno, Erica Gimpel as Coco, Albert Hague as Shorofsky, Carlo Imperato as Danny, Carol Mayo Jenkins as Sherwood, Valerie Landsburg as Doris, Gene Anthony Ray as Leroy, Lori Singer as Julie, Morgan Stevens as Reardon, Chris Lewis as Lewis, Arte Johnson as Cliff, Vernon Washington as Washington

The school is invaded by a mediocre actor with a star's ego who needs help from the school with a charity show. Meanwhile Leroy is struggling to complete a term paper and in the process enlists the aid of a talented young tap-dancer who wants to learn Leroy's style of dancing.