Billy Elliot

‘Into the World’ describes a concept of a growth and change experienced by an individual, from the transition of one stage to another. For an individual to move into the world, the support and guidance of others is essential to help rise above circumstances along with overcoming obstacles that they may come across. Barriers often obstruct the achievement of goals which bring about growth and change. However, with courage and determination these barriers can be conquered and new horizons and possibilities will become evident. This transition is seen in Stephen Daldry’s film Billy Elliot (2000) as the film shows the great struggles that individuals go through when moving into a new world of unexpected experiences.

The opening scene of the film shows Billy in his room jumping continuously on his bed in utter happiness. However it is not until he ventures out of his room and is captured running and dancing up the steep hill of his street that we come to realise he is searching for a new world, one filled with dance. This hill is used as a motif throughout the film and is symbolic of how steep the struggle of the transition into dance really is. Throughout the course of the film, his determination is what helps him reach the top of the hill and metaphorically enter a new life. Billy defeats the odds by progressively entering a world which is not socially acceptable for males. Whilst Billy dances in his room, the non-diegetic sounds of Cosmic Dancer by T.Rex sing “I danced myself right out of this room”. These lyrics are foreshadowing of Billy’s aspirations however it is his family that is inflicting on him reaching his dream of becoming a dancer. Despite not enunciating it, Billy, after major setbacks, has an epiphany and shows through his dancing how determined he is to move into the world of dance. He must continue dance in order to overcome the barriers and succeed. Billy’s ballet lesson shows his first encounter with the real world of ballet and the beginning of...