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In County Durham, the 1984-1985 coal minors strike is just beginning (“The Stars Look Down”). Motherless eleven-year-old Billy is required to stay behind after his boxing class and finds his way into a ballet class run by Mrs Wilkinson. He is the only boy, but becomes attracted to the grace of the dance (“Shine”). The secret is at first easily kept, as the only person home at the time is his grandmother. She reveals her abusive relationship with her dead husband and that she too loved to dance, which made everything all right (“Grandma’s Song”).While Billy’s father Jackie, brother Tony and neighbours are on strike and clash with riot police, he continues to take dance lessons, keeping it a secret from his family (“Solidarity”), a number which intersperses the violent reality of the strike with the peaceful practice of ballet.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The Galtres Centre, Market Place, Easingwold, YO61 3AD York, United Kingdom, York, United Kingdom
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