When billy went to the school for the audition
he told his dad that he changed his mind right before the audition
then after the audition, he said that it was waste of time.
and he hits the boy.
I don't really get it.
why did he say that?
Didn't he wanted to go to the school?
what was wrong with the audition??
He told his father he changed his mind, because he was nervous/scared. He said it was waste of time, because he thaught he failed the audition. And he punch'd the boy 'cuz he was hittin' on billy.
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"That there is one damn fine coat you're wearin'" Marv from Sin City
It really isn't difficult to comprehend. At first he was nervous. After his audition he was upset because he thought he had failed. He came to this conclusion after he had finished his dance, to which the lead auditioneer simply replied "Right . . . ".
sharealso I don't think anyone told him how they were suppose to respond. I think he was waiting for a smile or an applause. When he just nodded and wrote with no expression on his face, Billy thought he failed
Dance me into the night
He thought he failed because he ended too early. If you noticed from the earlier scene when he danced for his father, he had a spin sequence at the end. At the audition the music had ended when he was prepping for the turns. Though the Judges didn't know about the sequence, Billy did and that in turn becomes a mistake to him. So he beat himself up for it.
Oh right, I didn't even think about him being cut off right before the turns...but lack of turns aside, the way the judges were acting it was hard to tell if they liked it but since they didn't smile and clap Billy probably assumed that they thought he was terrible. And auditions are just nervewracking in general. But you're right, he didn't get to finish.
shareBilly hit the other kid because he said "There's always next year." This was obviously a rich kid whose parents paid for his audition every year. Billy was pissed at him because for Billy there was no "next year", this was his only chance.
ALWAYS read the book first.
I thought he said it was a waste of time cos he got caught fighting, not cos he didnt do the dance right.
Btw, aaronn-b, THAnkS for finally explaining exactly why he did hit the kid. I had never really worked it out before. ;)
"Well, *beep* me gently with a chainsaw."- Heathers
Actually, we are not shown the results of his audition. He was gonna be kicked out except his answer when asked what dancing meant for him was a great answer that touched everyone's hearts. That reply saved his a$$. He might have failed for all we know and the same answer gave him the chance he blew for being so nervous in the first place.
Excuse my hörthógrafy
I think he actually was going to pass the audition. Or maybe the judges were a teeny bit undecided but then, his answer to the query sealed it for him.
shareAre you talking about him telling his dad BEFORE his audition that he wants to leave? If so, then this is the explanation for what happens.
The DVD version shows auditions by other dancers and these auditions are very different from what Billy has planned. Billy knows his audition will be very raw.
On tv they had cut that part out.
I am surprised they did that. Because it explains why Billy wants to leave before the audition. And why the judges are surprised by his lack of structure.
if you are talking about after the audition...why he is upset, it is because the judges were very stern and they expected something different, I guess. He picked up on that and thought he failed.
Two explanations for two different scenes in the movie.
I think some of the people at the audition expected something more classical instead. I also think that some of the people at the audition thought that Billy's audition was very creative and different. They were impressed with his little speach about how he felt about ballet.
shareI think that Billy felt so anxious that he knew he would not be able to fully get into the emotional state he needed to get into in order to d his best work. We saw this many times earlier in the film when he would get so upset and anxious that he wanted wanted to give up. That was the meaning of his telling his Dad he wanted to quit.
Later when he is facing the judges, he is so nervous he can barely speak. He is stiff and unnatural. So his dance is technically perfect, but it has no soul. He cannot feel it. He is less graceful and less fluid and he knows it. His talent shows because he is technically perfect. You can see the confusion in the judges's faces. They have the teacher's report,which they trust, but they do nt see his spirit, which she had described.
So they ask Billy and his Dad questions. Again they get the answers they are looking for, but no soul or enthusiasm, until the one judge asks him about how he feels when he dances. Then they see what they have been looking for and are able to accept him into the school after they discuss it and work through the inconsistencies.
Anyway, that is the way I see it. It makes it far more interesting and layered.
By the way, I am a psychologist and I tend to take these things apart. This movie is multilayered and very interesting to someone like me. The characters are very well developed and multifaceted. It is just wonderful.
I would actually say exactly the opposite about his audition dance. Frankly, his technique is terrible. His knees aren't straight when he does his jumps, his feet aren't pointed, there is no fluidity... But that's to be expected, he has next to no training. Also, the style is COMPLETELY different than classical ballet - and this is a classical ballet school. He's doing tap and step dancing and all kinds of other things. I think his total lack of technical ability, coupled with his very unorthodox mix of styles really takes them aback. What they do see, however, both in his dancing and in his final answer about what he feels when he dances, is his passion, and that passion is what convinces them to take a chance on him.
shareI don't think the judges ruled him out as a dud when he danced. That was the brilliance of the scene. They were inscrutable. He was stiff. He abbreviated his motions. He rushed. He didn't extend. He was dancing by rote. But still, I don't think the judges wrote him off. I'm sure they had seen far worse. And he was a real boy, something ballet could use (please don't anyone take offense.) The principal simply said,"Thank you," and left us in suspense.
I think they felt he had the technical potential (buoyed by his teacher's praise) before the interview. That interview proved to them that he had the passion.
He thought he sucked.
You can't trade magic like *beep* Pokemon cards! - RIP Jesus :(
There was really nothing wrong enough with Billy's audition for the judges not to notice everything what they needed to see: a fabulously gifted and energetic boy with a perfectly fit little body, full of expression. Ballet Judges always react this way: they behave like University professors, aware of their almost Supreme Court-Judge-dignity and prestige. I've been there... 😓
Yet, they still see everything.
Billy isn't used to that: not to the grandiose building of the Academy, nor to the hauthily-nice attitude of the other boys from places he never frequented, nor to the lack of emotion on the faces of the judges. In schools he's used to, teachers eigher bark or cheer, at least you know what you're up against... he's totally struck by failure fear and thinks he's blown his one and only chance of fulfilling his dream.
The carefree way the other boy reacts to this failure which is a catastrophy to Billy, causes him to blow up and react violently. Utter despair!😵
The judges are not content with the ending. They want to know more... Violence not being condoned in these Dignified Halls or not, they have seen what they saw... and if you look carefully, we can too see on little Jamie Bell's face what the judges see: a fierce intensity, and that's what you need to be a real great ballet dancer. So, given half a chance, the boy gives a speech that convinces them they saw correctly. A rough diamond!
It takes much more than perfect technique to become a great ballet dancer: it takes devine talent, an extremely strong body, endless devotion to the art, endless stamina, and lots of inner fire. You need to be able to torture your body till it's at an inch of breaking, day in and day out, while making it look like you're flying likes a feather. Billy says: "like ele'tric'ty... yeah, like el'ctric'ty!"
I couldn't put it any better than that.
I was glad we get to see the result of all that struggle: the magnificent adult Billy, flying on stage like a god. That was one great ending! 🙌