The plot is loosely based on the life story of producer JoAnn Fregalette Jansen, who moved to Cuba with her family in 1958. Thus, the "Based on True Events" title.
Diego Luna (Javier) is not a trained dancer, but learned the dances he needed for the movie in about six weeks. He has said that normally, he best dancing is done with a few beers in him.
Neither Romola Garai nor Diego Luna (Katey and Javier) had any professional dance training. Before production began, the actors spent ten weeks in Puerto Rico, training for eight hours a day with producer JoAnn Fregalette Jansen and four additional dancer/choreographers.
The movie was filmed in Puerto Rico and made to look like Cuba. Most of it was done in the colonial part of San Juan, Old San Juan a very popular hangout for Puerto Ricans and a very touristy area. In order to maintain the look and esthetic of the pre-Cuban revolution era, producers secured underground parking places for people that would visit Old San Juan during the shoot so that there wouldn't be any modern cars parked in the streets.
Rated #11 in Entertainment Weekly's Top 25 Worst Sequels Ever Made (2006)
Natalie Portman was considered for the role of Katey, and Ricky Martin was considered for the role of Javier. They were both the first choices.