Billy Elliot the Musical On November 2, 2010 I attended the Broadway show “Billy Elliot the Musical” at the Durham Performing Arts Center. I must say this show was definitely one of the most emotional Broadway shows I have ever seen.
I do not think there was a single dry eye throughout the whole show. The shows controversial plot about a young boy, who wants to dance and all the people in his town who won’t let him, makes for an exciting and heart racing show. One of the amazing things about Billy Elliot the Musical was how I’m sure it spoke to every person in the audience in a different way.It spoke to all the people who had a dream, but people didn’t approve of that dream, yet they pursued the dream anyway. It speaks to all people who ever hit a rough patch in life and didn’t know what to do. It speaks to anyone who had to deal with the loss of a loving family member. Really, the amazing thing about Billy Elliot the Musical is that it speaks to everyone. The thing I loved most about Billy Elliot was that one of the main themes in the story is “Dance.
” All Broadway musicals have fantastic dancing in them of course, but this certain play particularly singles out dance and exactly what it is.One of the things in the play that spoke a lot to me personally was Billy’s description of dance. When he described his dancing and the feeling that he got from dancing, he said that he forgot everything and felt as if there was a fire in his body and that he felt he disappeared. I understand exactly what Billy was referring to when he said this. When I dance, I feel like none of the problem in the world matter.
I can let out all my stress and worries just by dancing. A fire seems to be lit inside of me when I dance and I forget about everything else in the world for those few special moments.I think that is what Billy was trying to say at the time. Although every dance in the show was incredible, I had two absolutely favorites. My first favorite was “Expressing Yourself”. The choreographer for Billy Elliot really had a way of expressing what is going on in the show through the dancing.
In “Expressing Yourself”, Billy Elliot is convinced by his friend Michael to dress up in girls clothing with him. They then proceeded to dance and sing in dresses, skirts, bows and sweaters. Towards he end of the dance, streamers came down and the lights went crazy and Michael and Billy proceeded to tap dance-in girl shoes. I must say it was quite a funny sight. O The director and choreographer did an incredible job at making the dance upbeat and funny but getting a serious message out: that there really is nothing wrong with expressing yourself. After all like the song says, “If you want to be a dancer, dance; if you want to be a miner, mine; if you want to dress like somebody else? Fine, fine, fine! ” The other dance number that was one of the most outstanding in my opinion was “The Angry Dance”.In the scene right before this dance Billy just couldn’t take it anymore. His dad and brother just told him there was no way he was going to Ballet School.
And to make things worse the miners in his community–his own brother and father–are up in arms because they are in a war with the police and going on strike. In this dance, Billy’s reaction to all the stress and problems in his life is expressed through the choreography. I think this dance was one of my favorites because of how intense it was. Billy was furious so the choreographers decided to make it a tap dance.Billy let out all his frustration by tapping all the stress away.
The intensity of the whole dance kept me on my toes the whole time. It really was an incredible dance and the choreographer did a fantastic job. I would strongly recommend this show for anyone. The choreographer perfectly executed what was meant to be express in the play through the dancing, just like in the tap scene-anger was shown and in the “Expressing Yourself” scene they were expressing themselves.
Billy Elliot the Musical is an incredible show filled with messages, teachings and amazing dancing!
