Billy is an eleven-year-old growing up in northern England. His father and older brother are on strike indefinitely from working in the mines. To help restore the family′s honour, Billy dons his grandfather′s old boxing gloves and begins to take lessons at the gym; which, in this small town, serves as both boxing arena and ballet school. Soon Billy realizes his feet move much more dexterously than his hands, and at the prodding of ballet teacher Mrs. Wilkinson, he takes her class instead. Though Billy′s father quickly forbids him from this “nonsense,” Billy undauntedly returns to his lessons with Mrs. Wilkinson, who recognizes his talent and offers to prepare him for the Royal Ballet School′s entrance audition. When Billy′s father finally consents to viewing a performance, he realizes this might be his son′s only chance to avoid a miserable existence working in the mines. Gathering what little money he can, he vows to send Billy off to London to audition.