Saturday, February 18, 2012

What are the gendered (and gendering) elements in sports, music, and dance as seen in the film "Billy Elliot"?

Billy's father makes Billy fight at the local boxing club. Boxing in general is seen as a masculine sport, typically boxers are male and fighting in itself is a masculine act (In nature it is usually the male animal who fight one another in order to win the female)





Billy however finds himself drawn to Ballet, typically seen as a feminine activity, as in it tends to be more females who take part in ballet. The movements are elegant and composed - not dis-similar to boxing. However in terms of representation they are opposites.





There are a number of scenes which show the crossover of gender in the film.





Billy's best friend for example is seen wearing his sisters make up and his mothers clothes, he is also seen wearing a tutu (female ballet skirt).





Billy, who has lots of pent up anger and frustration finds dance the best way to release his emotion and in the scene where The Jam's A Town Called Malice plays he is almost overly masculine with his violent movements. His clothes (A worn denim jacket and boots) also add to his masculinity a difference to the ballet shoes Julie Walters makes him wear.

No comments:

Post a Comment