1984 : In a northern England mining town, miners are on strike and the atmosphere is tense. The life of 11-year old Billy Elliott, a coal miner's son, is forever changed one day when he stumbles upon a ballet class during his weekly boxing lesson. Before long he finds himself in dance, demonstrating the kind of raw talent seldom seen by the class's exacting instructor, Mrs. Wilkinson. But Billy must keep his participation in the class a secret from his widowed father and overbearing brother, as both men are on strike from their jobs at the mine, and are struggling just to keep food on the table...