Step Up 2 the Streets is the sequel to 2006's Step Up. It's the story of rebellious 16-year-old street dancer Andie West (Briana Evigan). After her mother died, she was taken in by her mother's best friend, Sarah (Sonja Sohn). Since West often skips school and spends too much time as member of the notorious dance crew 410, Sarah wants her to go live with her aunt in Texas.

However, her friend and older brother figure, Tyler Gage (Channing Tatum) convinces Sarah to give her another chance: she can audition for the Maryland School of the Arts. Though the director of the school is hesitant to accept Andie, she is still accepted. Due to her school commitments she misses many 410 rehearsals, and they throw her out. She assembles a new crew of classmates that includes Chase Collins (Robert Hoffman), the school's best dancer; they practice clandestinely in the school after school hours, to compete against the 410 in Baltimore's underground dance battle, The Streets.

After a humiliating prank from MSA, the 410 crew attacks Chase and vandalizes the school, after which Blake Collins (Will Kemp), the director of the school and Chase's big brother, throws out West and forbids the school's students to participate in any competitions like The Streets. They go to the building where the event takes place anyway, but the 410 do not let them compete, and the crowd agrees. Since MSA believes the streets is more than just for dancing, they go in the streets, where the dancing really started, and perform in the pouring rain. Blake, who is observing, is impressed enough to allow West to return to the school, and integrate the dance style into the school program.