▁top ▁of ▁one ▁that ▁had ▁shr unk ▁in ▁the ▁was h ). ▁ ▁Plot ▁ ▁Alex andra ▁" Alex " ▁O w ens ▁( J enn ifer ▁Be als ) ▁is ▁an ▁eigh teen - year - old ▁wel der ▁at ▁a ▁steel ▁mill ▁in ▁Pitts burgh , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁who ▁lives ▁with ▁her ▁dog , ▁Gr unt , ▁in ▁a ▁converted ▁w are house . ▁Although ▁she ▁asp ires ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁professional ▁dan cer , ▁she ▁has ▁no ▁formal ▁dance ▁training , ▁and ▁works ▁as ▁a ▁sens ual ▁dan cer ▁by ▁night ▁at ▁M aw by ' s , ▁a ▁neighborhood ▁bar ▁and ▁gr ill ▁that ▁hosts ▁a ▁night ly ▁cab aret . ▁ ▁L ack ing ▁family , ▁Alex ▁forms ▁b onds ▁with ▁her ▁cow ork ers ▁at ▁M aw by ' s , ▁some ▁of ▁whom ▁also ▁asp ire ▁to ▁greater ▁art istic ▁achiev ements . ▁Jean ie ▁( S un ny ▁Johnson ), ▁a ▁wait ress , ▁is ▁training ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁figure ▁sk ater , ▁while ▁her ▁boy friend , ▁short - order ▁cook ▁Rich ie ▁( K yle ▁T . ▁He ff ner ), ▁hopes ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁stand - up ▁com ic . ▁ ▁One ▁night , ▁Alex ▁catch es ▁the ▁eye ▁of ▁customer ▁Nick ▁Hur ley ▁( Michael ▁N ouri ), ▁the ▁owner ▁of ▁the ▁steel ▁mill ▁where ▁she ▁works . ▁After ▁learning ▁that ▁Alex ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁employees , ▁Nick ▁begins ▁to ▁purs ue ▁her ▁on ▁the ▁job , ▁though ▁Alex ▁turns