Everyone possesses an inner talent. Whether it is visible to all or deeply hidden from view, it is the responsibility of each individual to discover it and, once discovered, nurture it. This is very difficult to do alone. There is a saying that comes to mind, “It takes a village.” Very true words. People of all ages often resist accepting help. It’s embarrassing and can make one feel less than. Middle school kids have an even harder time accepting any advice. It is usually a time when most don’t want to draw attention to themselves. They would rather fade or blend into a wall… any wall. Yet all it takes is one person to truly see what is invisible from the surface. This can be a floodgate kind of moment, and there is no going back.
I had the honor of unlocking many amazing padlocks when I was teaching. I remember one young man who was a cross-country runner and happened to run into my theatre one day. He was 13. He said he had heard I needed a guy for a small role, not cast yet. He was volunteering. I welcomed him into the fold. I immediately saw his concealed talent. He was an actor… instinctively and intuitively. Over the next four years, we worked together, and he became my lead actor in every play and musical. He went on to major in theatre in college, tried his luck in NY, and years later became a theatre arts teacher. He is still teaching today.
There were times just gentle nudges were necessary, and many others where I hugged, then pushed them into the light. It was always the same reaction on their faces. The awe and complete wonder that they could do what they secretly dreamed of doing. They would always look back at me one more time, and then soar. It was mystical and meant to be. I never felt left behind or forgotten. I knew I had given them the necessary tools and confidence to move forward. I often felt privileged to witness the beginning.
I could so relate to Dame Julie Walters when she taught dance in a poor Irish town. It was during a hellish mining strike, but she never stopped doing what she loved. She knew the strike would end one day, one way or another, but it was her calling to continually inspire her students to be the best they could be. She did her job well as she unleashed the remarkable BILLY ELLIOT to the community and eventually on a world stage. Bravo, Mrs. Wilkinson.
Right from the beginning, audiences could tell this was going to be a “freeing” film. There was Jamie Bell as Billy jumping up and down on his bed while the opening credits appeared on screen. It was silly, funny, and full of youthful energy. It was hard to tell what the story would be about. Little did audiences know that they would be witnessing the cruelty of working at a coal mine, mean homophobic name calling, poverty, elder care, tap dancing in the street, tutus, and letting go. Huge life-changing lessons.
To find the perfect Billy, 2,000 young actors and dancers were auditioned by director Stephen Daldry. (THE CROWN 2016-2023). Bell had been dancing since he was six years old. During filming, he was going through puberty and had to redo his lines multiple times to keep them in the correct octave, as well as shave his legs and underarms. Bell took many dance classes, including ballet, when he was younger. He often said he could relate to all the name-calling Billy went through. “Just because I like ballet doesn’t mean I am a poof, you know?”
BILLY ELLIOT was a huge financial success, and it only took three weeks to write the first rough draft. It had a budget of $3 million and grossed nearly $120 million. It was so popular that it was made into a Broadway musical. First, it played in London at the West End and then in 2008, the curtain rose for over four years at the Imperial Theatre. Again, the musical version brought in tons of money. Watching a grown-up Billy leap across the Royal Ballet stage during a performance of Swan Lake was breathtaking. It makes my soul tingle with ions of positive energy, and it always makes me cry tears of joy. I adored the look on the dad and older brother’s faces. There were decades of pride and fulfillment in every line, crease, and crevice. Thank goodness for a second of relief laughter, seeing Billy’s gay friend wave across the aisle. I was sad that Mrs. Wilkinson was not in the audience. This would have been the icing on the cake, but Walter’s had other commitments and could not fit it in her schedule. What a missed opportunity. It would have been a full-circle moment.
The tightness and camera angles also had a significant effect on the film. The mines had a distinctive darkness. It felt claustrophobic, like there was no air to breathe. The montage of the strikers going back to work was harsh and realistic. Some things never change, and that was the brilliant contrast between Billy and the bleakness of the mines. Family ties were pulled tight. We saw it when the brother stopped his dad from crossing strike lines, sitting around the kitchen table talking with Gram, and when the dad realized what he had to do to pay for ballet school. It was raw and palpable. Simple moments that spoke volumes for each character.
BILLY ELLIOT is a dramatic dance classic. In 2000, audience members smiled every time Billy danced in the street with such fierce, passionate, wild abandonment. It puts life choices into clear perspective. Billy learned he couldn’t live without expressing himself through dance. Harvesting our talent gives us that explosive power and momentum. Movies that give viewers this gift are extremely rare and special. Aww, Mrs. Wilkinson… you were a great catalyst not only for Billy, but for everyone who sat in a darkened theater.
BILLY ELLIOT is available on TCM.
