Monday, October 16th, 2023 on BBC One Northern Ireland at 10:40pm
The Year that Rocked Irish Dancing is a three part series that takes viewers behind the scenes of competitive Irish dancing.
And it separately includes the controversy that emerged during one of the most turbulent years in the history of Irish dancing competitions.
BBC cameras began following talented young dancers from Northern Ireland and the United States as they trained to take the stage at the biggest competition of their year, the Irish Dancing World Championships in Belfast, 2022.
The BBC team spent time with CLRG dancers and their dedicated teachers in the run up to the ‘Worlds’ – capturing the intensity and rewards of the training involved and also its importance to those taking part.
The first two episodes are focussed on dancers’ stories and everything that training and world-class competitions demand of them. They are about long hours of practice, the resilience that dancers need to have and also the enjoyment of performance.
Episode three takes a completely different turn and reflects emerging reaction to allegations of cheating in some Irish dancing competitions – a story that remains very much in the news.
