In 2000, Lee Hall's charming little story about a boy who discovers a passion for dance was released in theaters. The premise of that movie, which starred Julie Walters and a young Jamie Bell, is stunning audiences around the world 11 years later in an exhilarating and sweet stage production.

"Billy Elliot the Musical" has now danced its way to the Kennedy Center Opera House and brings with it five talented youngsters to play the demanding title role.

On press night a few weeks ago, Lex Ishimoto starred as the boy with big dreams. It's ridiculous how amazingly good this Californian kid, who also dabbles in street hip-hop (according to the cast bios), is in the show. Not only does he have to act, but he sings and dances with crazy precision as well.

The story of Billy Elliot is not just about his own struggles but those of the working-class community in which he lives in Northern England. His dad (Rich Hebert) and brother Tony (Cullen R. Titmas) and most of the town are in the midst of a coal miners' strike. While his family is out fighting for a cause, Billy, who is supposed to be taking boxing lessons, stumbles into a ballet class taught by the very colorful Mrs. Wilkinson (Leah Hocking). As little girls prance around him in tutus, Billy embarks on an amazing transformation and embraces his inner dancer.

Along with the film's director Stephen Daldry on board, "Billy Elliot" also features both playful and heartfelt music by Elton John and inventive choreography by Peter Darling. In the delightful number "Solidarity," little girl dancers skirt around miners and police officers waving batons.

And even Grandma (a lovely Cynthia Darlow) gets in on the act. She once had dancer dreams and mingles with the younger male performers in a flashback piece.

The show's best work, however, lies at the true center of the story--Billy Elliot. Whether he's feverishly beating down the barricade in the "Angry Dance" scene or talking about what it feels like when he dances in "Electricity," Ishimoto's Billy is aiming for the heart.

And in an absolutely sublime moment, the show trades the film's "Swan Lake" ending for a dream sequence where young Billy performs with his older self in a smoky mist. It's very powerful and hard not to be carried away as Tchaikovsky's score echoes their every move.

"Billy Elliot" is guaranteed to warm the coldest heart this winter season. It's hard not to be moved by this community's uplifting story as it fights for respect and rallies behind a young boy's dream.