Steel welder and exotic dancer, Alexandra Owens, aspires to attend the prestigious Pittsburgh Dance and Repertory Company, but is held back by her lack of training. Encouraged by both her boyfriend and a former dancer who acts as a mentor, Alex agrees to pursue an audition. The film debuted shortly after the launch of MTV, and the influence of music videos can be seen the musical film sequences. Despite negative critical reviews, the film was a box-office smash, and subsequently won an Oscar for Best Original Song for “Flashdance … What a Feeling!”