Billy Elliot the Forum

Welcome to the forum ALLMIXEDUP. Glad you have decided to join us.

accessmenj wrote:Tell us your story of change, so we can document that Billy Elliot The Musical is more than a story about a boy who wants to dance.

I have found a new appreciation for live theatre. I have learned that attending a show does not require I go with someone else in order to appreciate the experience. I have learned that dance doesn't have to be big and flashy, complex or difficult to be really impressive. At the same time, I've also learned that many dances are much more complex than I realized, and just watching the male ensemble members' feet during Solidarity is enough to make me dizzy.

The movie and the musical also taught me to appreciate ambiguity and the blessing of not knowing something. I left the movie theater back in 2000 telling my friend I saw it with that, "Well of course Billy's gay!" He told me how wrong I was and I've since realized he was right. Billy's just 11 or 12 years old, only a bairn for Chri'sake. He doesn't have to be one thing or another. And as much as I LOVE the character of Michael, and appreciate that he does definitely seem to "know," I LOVE that Billy is left so open-ended. So in this matter, Billy Elliot has changed me for the better, and shown me that you don't need to have a clear answer to every question!

We all have a mass of funny quirks and imperfections about us, but the real characters we encounter in life can sometimes irritate us; just as our own character traits can irritate others. In Billy Elliot The Musical, there are a few characters added or expanded upon for comic relief: Clipboard Lady, Posh Dad, and the Chief of Police are a few prominent examples. The policeman is just doing his job, even though it's clear he's also not a fan of Billy getting in his face. Clipboard Lady is just doing her job, even though she can be pretty high-strung and over-scolding. And Posh Dad is just being who he is, even though it confuses Dad. Geordie Dancer is another example of the same. He's not trying to make a spectacle of his body or how he's dressed. He's just stretching. But Dad is so uncomfortable with him that he changes his own behavior and mannerisms, becoming a farcical representation of himself and of masculinity itself. It makes us laugh because we're watching someone show extreme discomfort at someone so different from himself. What can we learn from all of these examples? How can they change us? They can teach us to smile and have a sense of humor when we see exhibitions of discomfort between personality types. Whether we witness it between others or confront it ourselves, we are reminded that everyone is different, it's a natural state.

A new-found appreciation for live theatre and an ability to see a show by myself. The ability to appreciate ambiguity and learn that not every question needs an answer. A reminder that we're all so, so different, and to laugh or smile (not to their faces in a mean way) when confronted with someone so different from ourselves. These are a few of the ways Billy Elliot The Musical has changed me.

Also, I'm in a lot of debt.

Also, I'm in a lot of debt.

Consider it an investment! And if it ever makes you an income, you too can pay tax on it at 15%!!

I will admit that it changed my view on dance entirely- especially with guys. I wasn't one that was very interested in dance. I found it fun to watch sometimes, but a lot of the time I would stop watching cause they got 'boring'. After seeing Billy Elliot, I have a whole new appreciation for it. I LOVE to watch dance videos now..... like, its insane how many I watch...and I dont get bored with them now And, I am sure I'm not the only one to say this- but I have to admit that I used to think guys who danced were very unusual. I didnt see guys dancing very often, but when I did, I would find it just a bit weird. But, now, I am a huge supporter! I even told my little brother he should take dance lessons--sadly he refused I think guys who dance are awesome, and I just wish more people gave them a chance before judging them.

ERinVA wrote:Welcome to the forum ALLMIXEDUP. Glad you have decided to join us.

Thank you for the welcome, Ellen. I have been following this forum for quite awhile. But I just recently joined as a member. This forum has saved me from being depressed until I can manage to catch the tour. Joining the discussion helps even more.

Welcome ALLMIXEDUP! You can always vent in the BETM Withdrawal thread during the waiting process.

I had a conversation this past weekend with a old man who was obviously suffering from dementia. I found it very difficult to continue talking to him. I wanted to walk away, but he wanted to talk, so I stayed and listened.

I have no doubt that the experience with Grandma in Billy Elliot, both the film and the musical(more the film,) changed my actions.
I kept listening for an insight into life and relationships like Grandma's "We'd go dancing", but of course there was none. But Billy Elliot's Grandma has definitely changed my actions with respect to people with advancing dementia. I am more patient.

BillyElliotLover wrote:I will admit that it changed my view on dance entirely- especially with guys. I wasn't one that was very interested in dance. I found it fun to watch sometimes, but a lot of the time I would stop watching cause they got 'boring'. After seeing Billy Elliot, I have a whole new appreciation for it. I LOVE to watch dance videos now..... like, its insane how many I watch...and I dont get bored with them now And, I am sure I'm not the only one to say this- but I have to admit that I used to think guys who danced were very unusual. I didnt see guys dancing very often, but when I did, I would find it just a bit weird. But, now, I am a huge supporter! I even told my little brother he should take dance lessons--sadly he refused I think guys who dance are awesome, and I just wish more people gave them a chance before judging them.

BillyElliotLover, thanks for putting this into words I always thought that male dancers were, ummm, "unusual" but now I know there is no one as athletic as a ballet dancer and how much determination and courage it takes for boys to start and especially continue dancing.
I've started tap dancing at the tender age of 20, never being into dance before, coincidentally just at the time I "discovered" Billy. The musical encouraged me to start ballet one year later - now my admiration for all the Billys (those on stage and the real ones) is even bigger because I know how tough it is. Billy helped me to find my love for dancing and I'm deeply grateful for that.

I used to hear people talking in a foreign language who I knew could speak excellent English and I would think, "This is America! Why don't you speak English?"
Today, while on vacation, I heard a father and son(around 12 years old) talking English and German alternately. They both spoke both languages so fluently that I don't think that they even noticed the switching. I had to tell them both how much I admired their multi-lingual skill.
This change in my attitude I can attribute to Billy Elliot The Musical in general, and my admiration of Giuseppe Bausilio in particular. Just the act of speaking several languages is an act of acceptance of others.