Tony Manero (John Travolta), a Brooklyn paint-store clerk, would give anything to break out of his dead-end existence. In life, Tony is a peasant; on the disco dance floor, he's a king. At the club, white-suited Tony struts his stuff amidst flashing lights and sweaty, undulating bodies.
Tony's class aspirations are mirrored in his relationship with his dance partner, Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney), a secretary eager to move into the glamorous world of Manhattan.