Dance Documentary

As hit show Riverdance prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a special gala performance at Dublin's 3Arena, its cast of Irish dancers from all over the world are locked in intense rehearsals. Billed as one of the biggest nights in Irish dance in living memory, audience expectations have never been higher, and nothing can be left to chance. For the dancers, many of whom weren't even born when Riverdance was created, being part of this special night is a dream come true. And the two dancers who step into the male and female lead roles will be immortalised in Irish dancing history, sharing a moment that will change their lives forever.

Channel 4's late-night, post-pub serving of the world's craziest and most creative short films returns for a fourth series, once more curated and hosted by Zawe Ashton. Featuring brand new talent and experimental work from more established names; the shorts are a heady mixture of music, animation, dance, visual art, spoken word and uncategorisable creative brilliance.

September 2015 marks the 300th anniversary of the death of King Louis XIV of France and this documentary looks at how Louis XIV not only had a personal passion and talent for dance, but supported and promoted key innovations, like the invention of dance notation and the founding of the world's first ballet school, that would lay the foundations for classical ballet to develop.

The Australian Ballet has evolved to become our nations most treasured performing arts company and an icon of dance. And We Danced looks back to reveal what has shaped this world-class institution and made it uniquely ours.

Momentum, drama, love and dance, music, mysticism, tradition, magic and dizzying images in the forests and mountains of Slovakia, a country in the very heart of Europe. Dancing on Broken Glass is a series of frescos about basic human needs and feelings.The narrative of the film is simple - love and the struggle to experience love. The story has few words, lots of authentic music, captivating mountains and irresistible dance sequences. And these are as dynamic, cruel and genuine as the lives of the main characters. The film's images transport the viewer back to the roots of proto-Christian Europe and universal emotions.

Profiles arguably Britain's most groundbreaking dance pioneer. Resident choreographer at the Royal Ballet and director of his own hugely adventurous dance company, Wayne McGregor's dance achievements know no bounds both at home and internationally. Alan Yentob follows Wayne as he serves as director at the Venice Dance Biennale, creating a new production with his own company of dancers, and rehearses and opens The Dante Project, a new full-length ballet at the Royal Opera House in London. Wayne was brought up on John Travolta and rave music before encountering the work of Diaghilev and Merce Cunningham, so look out for a little ABBA along the way.

John Travolta and Barry Gibb star in Saturday Night Fever - The Ultimate Disco Movie, with Bruno Tonioli. This documentary celebrates the 40th anniversary of the 1977 blockbuster dance movie, and sees Strictly Come Dancing's Bruno, who was a young dancer in New York in 1977, walk us through the steps that made the movie legendary. He also revisit the streets of New York where the film was shot and looks back at the success of a film that gave everyone disco fever.

Dazzling six-part series telling the full story of African music and the political and social pressures that led to it's development.

American Nile Rodgers (b. 1952) is a Grammy-winning guitarist, songwriter, and producer with whom everyone would like to collaborate. He has the golden touch of Midas, producing some of the most iconic songs of the last 40 years for artists like Diana Ross, Duran Duran, Sister Sledge, Madonna, David Bowie, Daft Punk and Avicii. In 1976, Rodgers formed Chic with Bernard Edwards, whose disco song Le Freak was a giant hit. Chic still works under Rodgers and also releases new music.

Documentary series which gives viewers a rare and intimate insight into the creative processes and cultural significance of traditional artefacts in Australia, Rurutu, New Zealand and Hawaii. In Arnhem Land in the remote tropical north of Australia, the Gurruwiwi family of the Yolngu Aboriginal people, reveal the world of the 'yidaki', a sacred instrument better known to outsiders as the didgeridoo. Believing the yidaki can heal people, control the weather, and summon ancestral spirits, the Yolngu place great importance on the making and playing of this instrument.