(narrator) Traditional Irish dance has survived for hundreds of years.

Though loved by the Irish people, it remained a mystery to the outside world until 1994 when Ireland hosted the Eurovision Song Contest.

The producers decided that Irish dancing as we'd never seen it before would be that year's interval act.

300 million television viewers watched as a troupe of dancers, led by Michael Flatley and Jean Butler, burst into the spotlight with a groundbreaking routine.

(dramatic music) That night Riverdance was born... ♪ ...and Producer Moya Doherty, composer Bill Whelan, and Director John McColgan set their sights on creating a full stage show that would change the face of Irish dance forever.

The following year, that seven-minute interval act had evolved into what would become one of the most successful dance shows in history, watched by millions of people and picking up a Grammy for the soundtrack along the way.

Today, Riverdance is preparing to celebrate a very special anniversary with a Gala performance in Dublin in the same venue 25 years to the day after the very first stage show.

As the show has evolved over the years, so has the cast, who are preparing for what's hailed as one of the biggest nights of Irish dance in living memory, and every beat will be captured on camera for a worldwide cinema audience.

(John) This 25th anniversary occasion won't happen again.

(narrator) The two dancers stepping into the male and female lead roles will be immortalized in Irish dancing history, sharing a moment that will change their lives forever.

-Do their line!

-Amy-Mae Dolan from County Tyrone is one of three female leads being considered for the starring role.

(Amy-Mae) That moment's never gonna exist ever again, and I would just love to be that female lead, trying to be the best that anyone's ever seen.

(narrator) To impress the Riverdance bosses, she must avoid injury, overcome exhaustion, and prove that she's ready for the performance of a lifetime.

(Padraic) We want the audience walking away feeling like it was the most powerful thing that they have ever seen.

(narrator) Competition is tough, and the dancers are being pushed to their limits.

(Amy-Mae) Oh, I'm tired whenever I get emotional.

(narrator) Will Amy-Mae's passion and determination be enough to make her dream come true?

(intense music) ♪ The peaceful County Tyrone townland of Aghyaran is home to a small, close-knit community, and Irish dancer Amy-Mae Dolan.

(Amy-Mae) Aghyaran is absolutely beautiful.

It's definitely isolated, but because I'm so far away from everything, I spent Irish dancing then, because that's what I had to do.

(whimsical music) ♪ I spent so much time dancing right out here, especially in the summertime, because I used to think it was, like, a massive stage dreaming of, like, things like Riverdance.

You always wanted that big applause, that you could hear whenever you watch the Riverdance video, and you didn't really get that at competitions, so I always wanted to know what that felt like.

♪ (bleating) (narrator) In this tranquil setting, far removed from the bright lights and packed audiences, Amy-Mae practices every day for hours in a converted shed at her family home.

(Amy-Mae) All my life it's all it's ever been has been dancing.

Dancing's constantly on my mind, even if I'm, like, talking to someone, I could be thinking about, "Oh, I didn't do that today, I need to make sure that I do that tomorrow."

And so, it's hard to, like, switch that off.

(upbeat Irish music) (panting) The leaps are the classic ones.

Like this.

(clattering) Those are probably the ones that we can get highest.

(contemplative music) ♪ (narrator) Amy-Mae joined Riverdance three years ago, and within 12 months had become a female lead.

-Good, better.

-Yep.

-Step forward.

-Soon she will join the rest of the cast in Dublin for two weeks of intense rehearsals, as they prepare for the show's 25th anniversary performance.

(Amy-Mae) It's funny, like, I always say dancers are athletes, and especially when you're preparing for something as big as what we're going into next week.

And whenever we got our rehearsals and schedule through, like, I was shocked at how intense it is gonna be.

(tranquil music) (narrator) Irish dancing is highly competitive, and every young dancer dreams of winning a world title.

Amy-Mae began competing at the age of five in a career that would take her all over the world.

-Start with this one.

-Yeah.

(Amy-Mae) Whenever I won awards.

(narrator) One person was by her side every step of the way.

(Shevaun) Yeah, I did think she-- I thought Amy-Mae had talent from--from the very start.

-Nearly 10 years ago.

-Yeah.

That's a day we'll never forget.

(Amy-Mae) No, it's funny 'cause I thought that would've been the biggest day ever, like I thought that was it then.

(Shevaun) Yeah, nothing else would top that.

(Amy-Mae) No, but it was small in comparison, yeah.

(narrator) When she was 12, Amy-Mae moved to a new dance school in Belfast.

For the dedicated dancer, this meant a 7-hour round trip three times every week, and with her mom Shevaun in the driving seat, the bond between the pair became unshakeable.

(Shevaun) A lot of kids shy away from the--the level of commitment, but not her, she-- just bring it on, you know.

She just--she loved to dance.

You had to be up at 7:00 every morning.

-Yeah.

-And then, go to school, and then come-- you didn't even get home, just left you, and straight up the road to Belfast.

-Yeah.

-It's insane, though, when you think about it, and it was what you wanted to do, it was, like, very much you.

I mean, there was days I was ready to throw in the towel.

-Honestly, Amy-Mae, I was... -I know, I know, yeah.

I--I wanted to win, like, I--but you know that.

-Next.

-There are thousands of dance schools dotted all around Ireland, drilling students through their steps over and over as they prepare for competition.

(instructor) And go.

(narrator) This school is one of the most popular, and dancers come here from all over the world with the dream of making the leap from amateur to professional.

(indistinct remarks) (cheering and applauding) Today, former student Amy-Mae is returning to her old dance school.

(indistinct remarks) (young man) Do you have any tips for aspiring dancers like us that would wanna transition from a competitive to a stage-show career at all?

(Amy-Mae) The main difference in competitive dancing and then performance is all about, like, the story telling, and using your face, and using your body, so it's a little bit different from competition in the sense that there's so much performance involved.

(overlapping remarks) (contemplative music) ♪ (narrator) Back in Aghyaran, the Dolans are making the most of their time together.

Amy-Mae will soon leave for Dublin to start rehearsals with the rest of the cast.

(indistinct remarks) Family is the one thing that keeps her feet on the ground.

Amy-Mae is so competitive because, I don't know, I just think that she-- she hates losing, don't you, Amy?

She hates it, she can't--she can't handle it, like the rest of us can, but she can't take it.

I've never had to take it, but she really can't take it.

(Shevaun) It's just good, the six of us together, 'cause I think we appreciate it more -since she went on tour.

-Like just your family, like, creates you, they make you the person you are.

Sometimes when they're not around, um, you kinda feel like there's just, like, a wee bit missing or something, yeah.

(Shevaun) We are, yeah, I think we are a close family.

-Yeah, we are.

-Yeah, we are.

90 percent of the time we are.

(narrator) When she gets to Dublin, Amy-Mae will face the biggest challenge of her dance career.

Competition has never been higher, as only one of the three female principles will take the lead role on the Gala night.

(Amy-Mae) You really wanna be the lead dancer for that show because it's so historic.

You know, that that moment's never gonna exist ever again, and I would just love to be that female lead that's there that night dancing and trying to be the best that anyone's ever seen up until this point.

(energetic music) (narrator) A few weeks later and rehearsals are underway.

♪ (traffic humming) (Padraic) This is one of those things that we do in a drill.

(narrator) The cast have come from all over the world, and have never danced together before.

-Five, six, seven, eight.

-Associate Director Padraic Moyles must mold them into a single unit.

A former lead dancer for 18 years, he knows the choreography of the show better than anyone and demands perfection from every single performer.

(Padraic) Make sure those feet are out.

So, what we're trying to do at the moment in terms of drilling the dancers is to get them to understand that nobody can do even so much as an extra hop.

Five, six, seven, eight.

(clattering) Some people might call it being pedantic, um, or trying to be perfectionists.

It's not so much that we're trying to be perfectionists as individuals, it's just more as a team.

We just want it to look right for everybody, so that we can go out there with confidence.

Do it in a line-- hold on, hold on, hold on.

Hang on, you guys are back too far over on this side, am I right, am I right?

When we go on that stage, we wanna be able to go out there and enjoy it, and know that we have properly prepared.

We want the audience walking away feeling like it was the most powerful thing that they have ever seen.

And in order for that to happen, these guys need to be on their A-game.

(clattering) (dramatic music) Up!

Well, the rehearsals have been going well, but we--we're nowhere close to where we need to be right now.

Try not to do, "Ba-pa-di-da-dum, da-dum-di-di-da-dum-bum."

Being honest with you, I'm--I'm slightly disheartened in a way that more of us didn't come in more prepared.

Come on, Jenny, you need to do, "Ba-ba-dum-ba-ba-dum-ba-ba-dum, ba-ba-dum," yeah.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

So, a lot of people have to adjust their own personal style, the way they do certain things, or certain elements of dancing to make sure that we're getting the full team look that we're going for, and that is tough, and it means coming down hard on some people, even though you feel guilty in some ways of doing it, but ultimately, it has to be right, so we have to do it.

So, we have one week to make sure that those bad habits go away.

We just wanna make sure that everything is as good as it possibly can be.

Okay?

Any questions on that?

Okay, grab a quick drink of water and let's do it again.

(indistinct remarks) (narrator) Amy-Mae has her heart set on the lead role for the big night, but the decision lies with the show's co-founder, John McColgan, who has arrived to cast an eye over rehearsals.

(Padraic) Quiet.

(bright music) (narrator) There's an air of anticipation as the dancers await John's decision.

♪ Which of the dancers will be picked to be the leads for the anniversary performance?

♪ Whoever John chooses will leave their mark forever on Riverdance.

(John) Leads come-- they come from the corps, they don't come in as a lead.

(upbeat music) If they have potential to be a lead, we put them in the company, and we watch their behavior and we watch their dancing.

♪ (clattering) So, you try and find really fantastic dancing with a look.

(tapping) (indistinct exclamation) (cheering) And somebody who enjoys being on stage, who enjoys presenting themself and selling themselves to the audience.

(indistinct exclamation) (cheering and applauding) Good job, guys.

(uplifting music) Give it 20 minutes to make sure we cool down here now.

Tensions are mounting as the clock counts down.

As the anniversary show edges ever closer, the dancers must give everything they've got, and then tomorrow, do it all over again.

(pensive music) A new day, and rehearsals are taking their toll.

♪ (Amy-Mae) You know, sometimes if you're having a hard time in the studio, if you're not that tired, you can tell yourself, "No, I'm not tired, keep pushing."

But whenever you're physically and mentally drained, it's very hard to dig deep and find the strength to push through, but, um, whenever you have rest, you just feel fresher, your legs feel recovered, your back feels good, and you feel mentally strong as well.

(Padraic) Five, six, seven, eight.

(narrator) With expectations high, Padraic has called the six lead dancers in early for an extra rehearsal before the rest of the cast arrives.

(vocalizing) ♪ (narrator) No one in the cast, not even the lead dancers, can take their position for granted.

The newest addition to the female leads is Meadhbh Kennedy from County Meath in Ireland.

All I ever wanted to be was a member of Riverdance.

(Padraic) Bevel and a back step, up, big down step.

(Meadhbh) Your space is always vulnerable, so I worked so hard when I got in just to keep my spot.

(narrator) Natasia Petracic from Sydney, Australia, has been a lead dancer for four years.

(Natasia) Being in Dublin for the 25th anniversary is just the biggest moment I think in my career.

I grew up watching all of these past dancers and past performers paving the way so that I could be here right now and perform.

It's the best thing that could ever happen to a dancer, and an Irish dance.

(whimsical music) ♪ (narrator) Every costume in the show is made by hand, and today Amy-Mae is being fitted for a brand new dress.

(Amy-Mae) What part of France are you from?

(designer) I'm from Nice.

-I left this place 35 years ago.

-Wow.

(designer) I came here with my sewing machine -and my suitcase.

-Oh, wow.

(designer) Now do you feel comfortable now?

-Feel very comfortable, yep.

-Yeah, and you like the fabric?

-Isn't it magnificent?

-Absolutely beautiful.

(designer) You have a bit of chiffon underneath.

-Oh, yeah.

-The silk chiffon.

-I love the color of that.

-Isn't it lovely?

(Amy-Mae) Yeah, it's beautiful.

This is the first time that it's been my own Riverdance costume made for me.

(designer) Oh, well that's fantastic, I'm very proud -of making your costume.

-Yes.

So, the other costumes have been passed down -from the older girls to me.

-Oh, no, no, no, we can't have that-- and do you feel comfortable?

-It feels amazing.

-You feel like a princess?

-Yes.

-You feel great?

(Amy-Mae) Yeah, and it's gonna have my name on the label.

(designer) Oh, it does already, it already has your name -on the label.

-Yes.

(pensive music) (narrator) Back in rehearsals, Padraic is determined to nail those signature steps.

(Padraic) So, whatever that is that we've done over the last couple of days needs to go into action, and make sure it's in action as we do this run-through.

(indistinct exclaiming) (upbeat music) (narrator) Bobby Hodges from Bristol started dancing when he was six years old.

(Bobby) I was the kid that saw Michael Flatley and thought he was the coolest thing I had ever seen.

I was running round with the headbands tied around me, um, like I didn't care, and it was so weird almost.

(clacking) Like it's what I was born to do.

Who else gets to, for their job, get applauded and get standing ovations every night?

I mean, I've gone home and unloaded the dishwasher for Mom, and I didn't get a standing ovation, so.

It's--you know, it's like it's-- I mean, we are literally living our dream.

(dramatic music) (narrator) Meanwhile, the stakes are high for lead dancers Amy-Mae, Meadhbh, and Natasia.

(Natasia) Pressure in the nerves that comes with being a performer, it's internal definitely, like, you want to do your best, you want to be the best version of yourself, and I think every dancer can relate to that.

(Meadhbh) So different the lead role to the troupe role, because the troupe is all about uniform.

Everyone has to be the same.

What I've really struggled with is going from that to-- with lead they're like, "Look around, use your arms, use everything, because you're the only person on stage that can do that."

♪ (narrator) And as the pressure builds, can Amy-Mae hold onto her dream?

(Amy-Mae) My determination for me to be that lead was huge.

Probably the most, like, determined I've ever been for anything.

Ultimately, was just me battling with myself.

If I can be the very best that I can be, then I can do no more, so I was just, like, really trying to find that, and pull that out of me, and peak at the right time.

That everybody that was watching, the directors, and Padraic, and John.

that they would just say, "She's got it, she's ready for this, it's her time."

(John) I really never have seen such power and strength in a room, and I can tell from each--well, every one of you, you're so passionate, and so committed, and so precise that that energy, uh, will blow people away, and this has been a most amazing week, and it's been electrifying, and I'm really looking forward to getting into the 3Arena with all of you.

(cheering and applauding) (uplifting music) ♪ (narrator) The female leads have done all they can.

Now it's down to John McColgan to decide which of them will step into the lead role for the 25th anniversary performance.

(John) We have three girls in the show who are leads, and they rotate, and they're all fantastic, but Padraic Moyles and myself had to make a call as to who the lead girl would be in Dublin for this very special celebration.

(soft piano music) So, I just want to tell you today that you're in the Gala night on the Sunday night -as the lead.

-Okay, wow.

Thank you.

-Are you pleased?

-Yeah, that's massive.

-It is, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Sorry.

-It's okay.

-It's okay.

-Thank you so much.

(narrator) Amy-Mae can't wait to share her news with the person who matters the most.

I've got big news for you, Mom.

-Big news?

-Yeah!

Um, I'm doing lead on the Sunday.

(Shevaun) Yay!

Amy-Mae, I'm super proud of you.

(Amy-Mae) Yeah, are you really happy, Mommy?

(Shevaun) My own wee Jean Butler.

(chuckling) It is literally a dream come true.

I think it's probably one of the biggest achievements I've ever, ever had, um, and it just means a lot to me, so it does--yeah.

(narrator) The cast have moved into the venue for the final day of rehearsals.

(Padraic) You need to anticipate the person-- (narrator) This is Padraic's last chance to make sure everything is perfect.

(Padraic) We're not together, guys.

Can we have a look at, um--?

We'll look at "Heart's Cry" again, let's look at counters, let's look at all the dancing things.

Yeah, run it with the music, yep.

(soft music) Watch the line on center here for the girls.

I didn't feel good about last night.

Once the--once the run-through finished, I knew that we have so much work to do.

Ready, five, six, seven, eight, and one, two, three, four.

The biggest thing for Amy-Mae right now is handling the occasion, and that's a tough thing to get your mind around, because we can't replicate what she's going to experience in front of that crowd.

All this side, you end up going behind her with your elbows.

Try the crossover one more time.

Only she can visualize it, and hopefully she's gonna be able to visualize it in an accurate manner that allows her not to be overwhelmed by what she's about to experience, but to be able to take it in her stride.

(narrator) In just 24 hours, this arena will be filled with more than 7,000 people.

(contemplative music) But, after a fraught final run-through, the pressures of the last few months are catching up with Amy-Mae.

Physically and mentally exhausted, she's missing her family.

I don't even feel homesick, I just find myself, like, wishing they were here a lot.

Like, sometimes you can feel a wee bit lonely, um, and a stranger amongst a cast of 32 people.

I can't wait to, like, know they're in the audience, 'cause that'll just, like, comfort me a wee bit that they're out there somewhere.

Just their presence will be so good.

Yeah.

(sobbing) Ah, I know I'm tired whenever I get emotional.

But, yeah, we'll get there.

I think once we get through tomorrow, it'll be good, once they get ready to get onto the show tomorrow night, I'll be flying.

(peppy music) ♪ (narrator) The big day has finally arrived, and soon Amy-Mae will take to the stage as the female lead in this very special performance.

♪ (Padraic) Now we're filming tonight's show for a cinema release, and of course we have cranes in, we have cameras all around the stage.

So, of course, myself, the dancers, the performers, are worried about the lines, making sure that they're as perfect as they can be.

(Amy-Mae) Not yet, okay, well.

I'm just about to get into my first costume, which is Countess Cathleen, um, and it's a beautiful purple one, yeah.

I'm just going to get changed.

(narrator) Amy-Mae's family have arrived from Aghyaran.

For them, tonight will be an emotional rollercoaster.

(Shevaun) Frances said last night-- I haven't heard a word that he's actually said to me in a week, because I have been stressed out.

Because she has been stressed, we are--we are sitting worrying, whereas everybody else probably sitting enjoying the show, and I don't think I'll be able to enjoy it that much.

(narrator) It's nearly showtime, and backstage the atmosphere is building.

(photo snapping) (Amy-Mae) All I have to do is what I know, and keep control of myself, don't get too excited, and get excited afterwards.

Um, deliver the show that needs to be delivered.

The crowd is starting to fill up and you can feel, like, an energy coming from them, so it's great.

-Oh, the bells?

-Were you able to eat your food?

-Yeah-- -Bobby been picked to be the male lead tonight alongside Amy-Mae.

This will be the biggest performance of their careers.

(Bobby) One of the first times I performed lead with Amy-Mae and she noticed me warming up in the wings.

She was like, "Why are you warming up there?"

I was like--and she was like, "Do you ever stand side stage just to kinda get the feel for the energy from the crowd?"

I was like, "I live for it," like, that's my fuel, like, you hear that and feel that anticipation from the crowd, especially before the show starts, that you're just like, "Get me out there."

(dramatic music) (Padraic) I don't want them to go up here right now and go, "Oh, my God, there's thousands of people watching me, as well as millions of people around the world."

I want them to go up there and say, "I'm the best in the world."

(narrator) Padraic's job is done.

Now it's all down to the cast.

♪ (Shevaun) Just gonna let her know we're here, and she'll message me after every single dance.

(Padraic) So proud of you guys.

I'm so--I'm so proud of you.

I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

-All right, thanks, guys.

-Yeah, thank you, thanks.

(chuckling) (intense music) (narrator) The show has started and Bobby takes to the stage for a performance he'll never forget.

♪ (Bobby) For me, that first number, "Reel Around the Sun," is so masculine, it's so powerful, that you just feel so epic.

♪ There's a moment halfway through that dance when the whole troupe comes charging on with us, and you literally feel like you're riding into battle.

Like, every single time you get an adrenaline rush, and it is just, like, for me, it's my favorite moment in the show.

(cheering and applauding) (whimsical music) (Amy-Mae) Just before I'm about to go on for the first dance and I'm standing in the wing, I can't hear anything but that music, and I know that the building is full of people, there's, like, chaos behind me, with people changing shoes, changing costumes.

There's so many things going through my head then, yeah.

(Shevaun) Sitting in the audience that night was very hard for me.

Um, I--to be quite honest, I would rather have been anywhere else, but I knew I had to be there for her.

♪ Earlier on that day, she had come to see us in Dublin, and she was completely exhausted.

I just looked at her and I said, "How are you going to get yourself together for tonight?"

But, by God, she did.

♪ She was so on point, and I just--I thought she was-- I thought she was fabulous.

(narrator) 25 years after it was first performed on this stage, the Riverdance troupe joined Bobby and Amy-Mae for one of the world's most iconic dances.

(energetic music) ♪ (Amy-Mae) Once I got the first number done, I felt like then that I was flying, like I could do anything, I was just ready to go.

♪ (cheering and applauding) (soft piano music) (narrator) After an unforgettable night, Amy-Mae and her family are finally reunited.

(exclaiming) -You're so great!

-Ahh!

(chuckling) Oh, did you enjoy it?

-Yeah.

-Did you have fun?

Thank you so much.

-Amy-Mae.

-Yeah?

(Amy-Mae's sister) Amy-Mae, I saw your necklace on stage.

-I'm so proud of you.

-Thank you, Daddy.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-Baby.

-Aw.

(Shevaun) Just so proud, and just-- it's just such an emotion, I nearly feel numb, I just don't know what to think.

It's just, this is huge.

And she does us all proud, I thought she was-- I thought she was amazing tonight.

(Amy-Mae) It's almost like the end of a story, or like a chapter, um, life this is-- this is the biggest moment that's ever been for me anyways as a dancer.

(uplifting music) I wonder, in 20 years' time, will I have done things since now that were bigger, or more stressful, or more significant, or simple things like having a family or something.

I wonder is all gonna be, like, bigger when it comes to it, or I wonder if that moment I just had is always gonna be the biggest moment of my life.

But I do think, like, anything that I was to do now that would be really hard again, I would be able to say to myself, "You got through those two weeks in Dublin, you danced that show in the 3Arena, you--you can do anything."

(intense music) ♪ (cheering and applauding)