A look behind the scenes of competitive Irish dancing during its most turbulent year to date. In this episode, we begin following talented young dancers from Northern Ireland and America as they train to take the stage at the biggest competition of their year: the 2022 Irish Dancing World Championships. A BBC documentary team follows a range of CLRG dancers in the run- up to the championships, alongside their hard-working teachers, who are under pressure to prepare the performers both mentally and physically. The dedicated young athletes, including first-time competitors at this level as well as defending world champions, train hard and battle through complicated choreography, nerves and wig mishaps. We capture the remarkable athleticism and thousands of hours of practice required to compete at world level, as well as the emotional strength these young dancers display in the face of adversity.
We go behind the scenes during the 2022 Irish Dance World Championships, getting a rare insight from the coalface of the biggest competition the young dancers will face. Potential champions of the world stage face some tense moments as they wait to hear if they have made the cut - and the podium. So much is at stake for the young people we have followed from dance schools to the global stage. False starts, wig mishaps and tears of frustration are all part of the drama as they give their all to impress the judges. With defending world champions dancing alongside newcomers at this level, we see the camaraderie and hear the dancers talk about their experience at the highest level of the sport.
Global headlines of an alleged cheating scandal cause shockwaves at the heart of Irish dancing.
