Plot summary

Brittany, France, 1880's - Felicie (voice of Elle Fanning), a young orphan girl with dreams of being a dancer, is planning an escape from the orphanage. Her best friend, aspiring inventor Victor (voice of Nat Wolff) goes to help her before M. Luteau (voice of Mel Brooks) finds her and gets them both in trouble. They both go to the dining hall where they must stack dishes, but Felicie uses this time to practice her dance moves. She ends up breaking the dishes, getting both her and Victor in trouble. Luteau brings them to Mother Superior (voice of Kate McKinnon), who tells Felicie her dreams of being a dancer are nothing.That night, Felicie and Victor make their escape from the orphanage using a pair of aerodynamic wings that Victor invented. Luteau chases after them on his motorcycle as they fly away. They evade him by hopping onto a train heading to Paris.Upon arriving in Paris, Felicie and Victor are separated when Victor gets stuck on a boat sailing away from the city. Felicie then happens upon the Paris Opera Ballet school, which Victor told her is the greatest dance school in the world. Felicie enters the building and is caught by a guard who thinks she is stealing. Before the guard harms her, a cleaning lady with a limp named Odette (voice of Carly Rae Jepsen) stops him and helps let Felicie go. Felicie follows Odette, who wants Felicie to go away. Felicie hides as Odette speaks to her boss, a restaurant owner named Regine Le Haut (also Kate McKinnon). Odette lets Felicie stay with her as long as she helps clean and keep quiet.While cleaning, Felicie sees Camille (voice of Maddie Ziegler), Regine's daughter, practicing her dance moves. Felicie goes to compliment Camille, but the girl is rude and snobby toward Felicie, constantly calling her a "little rat". Camille takes Felicie's music box given to her by her mother, and she cruelly throws it out the window where it breaks.Felicie goes to get the music box when the postman shows up with an acceptance letter for Camille to attend the ballet school. Felicie takes the letter herself and goes to the school where she pretends to be Camille and start her lessons. She is taught by Merante (voice of Terrence Scammell), a harsh and stern instructor. He begins to put Felicie and the other girls through rigorous training.Felicie practices in the streets when Victor finds her. He tells her how he has gone through a lot of trouble since arriving in Paris, but he and another boy have since begun to work in the office of Gustave Eiffel.As Felicie continues her lessons, she finds that learning to dance is harder than she expected. She meets a prissy but experienced dancer named Rudi (voice of Tamir Kapelian), who politely tells Felicie that her dancing sucks. Dejected, Felicie goes back to Odette and apologizes for being a burden to her. As she leaves, Odette goes to pull out her old shoes from when she used to dance. She finds Felicie and tells her she will begin training her in the morning.Odette puts Felicie through training that involves her doing some chores while incorporating dance moves into it. At school, Merante announces that he will pick one girl to dance Clara in "The Nutcracker". He eliminates a different girl each day when they fail to perform to his standards.Later on, Victor takes Felicie out into the town. They enter a bar where Felicie dances to the music and impresses everyone, including Victor. She later tells him that she had the night of her life.Felicie's happiness is short-lived when she finds Regine and Camille speaking to Merante over Felicie assuming Camille's identity to join the school. Regine demands that Felicie be kicked out, as well as Odette for allowing Felicie to stay. Merante says that Felicie has shown improvement since joining, so he will let her stay while also letting Camille join. He tells both girls that they will work for part of Clara fair and square.It is the night before the final elimination. Felicie has made plans to go out with Rudi, against Odette's wishes for her to rest up. Felicie snaps at Odette and tells her she's not her mother. She tries to apologize but Odette tells her to go away. Felicie later goes to meet with Rudi, only to find Victor waiting where he thought he would be spending time with Felicie. Rudi tries to fight Victor, but it only leads Felicie to be annoyed with both boys, but Victor is upset with Felicie over her own behavior.The next day, Felicie rushes to her performance while Camille is finishing hers. Felicie gets there and admits to Merante that she did not practice or rest well. Felicie ends up falling twice before Merante decides to eliminate her and give the part to Camille. Both Felicie and Odette cry alone, and Regine arranges for Felicie to be sent back to the orphanage.Felicie is miserable being back in the orphanage. She dreams about her mother and how she gave her the music box. Felicie plans to sneak out again at night, only to be caught again by Luteau. Only this time, Luteau personally escorts Felicie back to Paris on his motorcycle. She hugs him goodbye as she goes to find Victor.Felicie goes to M. Eiffel's office to find the other apprentice boy there by himself. Felicie tells him to send a message to Victor about how she is sorry, but she figures that he is hiding under the desk, hearing what she is saying. He appears to forgive her.Felicie goes to the school to find Odette, but instead finds Camille practicing onstage. Camille insults her once again, leading the girls to engage in a dance-off. The other girls come watch. Camille keeps trying to push Felicie, but she keeps getting up. Felicie tops it off by doing a fouette en tournant, a move that Odette tried to teach her. Odette, Merante, and all the girls witness this and are highly impressed. Merante then asks both girls why they dance. Camille admits that she does it because her mom makes her, while Felicie says it has been part of her whole life. Camille tells Merante that Felicie should have the part of Clara, and he agrees. Camille shakes Felicie's hand, and Felicie hugs her.Later, Victor goes to meet with Felicie, only to get knocked over the head by an angry Regine, who wants revenge for Felicie taking Camille's part. Regine chases after Felicie. Victor brings out his new set of wings, and with Camille's help, he goes to rescue Felicie. Regine chases her up to the unfinished Statue of Liberty and attempts to push Felicie off a tall height. Victor swoops in and grabs Felicie, but Regine tries to get both of them. She ends up getting tangled in ropes as the kids evade her. Victor then flies Felicie to the school for her performance.The film concludes with Felicie performing in "The Nutcracker", with Merante, Odette, and Victor all watching proudly.