The opening scene of Billy Elliot establishes the time and place in the mining town of Everington in the 1980s. Billy lives with his brother and widowed father. He is shown dancing beautifully but in secret, contrasting with his brother and friend who are boxing. This sets up the potential conflict of Billy pursuing ballet in a community with traditional gender expectations centered around boxing and mining.

1. BILLY ELLIOT
Setting the Scene

2. What is the significance of the
opening titles?
Consider: what is
important about Billy’s
movement?
Consider: what is
important about the
song that the playing?
1.

3. How does this sequence establish
the time/place
in which Billy
lived?
2.

4. What do we learn of Billy’s home
life in this sequence?3.

5. What first impressions do we get
of the following characters?
a)
4.
b)
c) d)

6. How are the characters of Billy,
Tony and Jackie contrasted in this
sequence?
5.

7. How are gender expectations
established in the boxing/ballet scene?6.

8. Reflecting upon the film as a whole,
what potential conflicts are
established in this opening scene?
7.
Consider: what
problems are
foreshadowed?
Consider: what
opposing forces are
established in this
scene?
Consider: is there
any symbolism
present?

9. EXTENSION: What would have been
different about the story of ‘Billy Elliot’ if
it was instead about a girl from
Mrs. Wilkinson’s
Dance School
who wanted to
box with the
Everington Boys
Club?
Consider: what
different expectations,
prejudices or conflicts
would arise?