Whether you’re looking for something to occupy the kids or just fancy staying in on a cold winter’s night, gather your family and friends, curl up in front of the TV and take a look at the best dance and musicals being shown on TV this Christmas.
This Christmas, there’s something for all dance fans on TV, ranging from ballet to hit musicals such as ‘Cats’ and ‘Mamma Mia!’
Friday 20th December
6.00am Sky Arts - Les Patineurs
This beautiful, short ballet is set in a Christmas scene on an Edwardian ice rink and looks like a Christmas card from a bygone era. Les Patineurs is rarely performed and so it is lovely to see it in the Christmas TV listings. It is a great alternative Christmas ballet for the Nutcracker-weary! This performance of Les Patineurs was recorded by the Royal Ballet in 2013.
Sunday 22nd December
9.15am Sky Arts - Cats and The Movie Musical
A look into the new Cats movie, featuring Taylor Swift, Idris Elba and Judi Dench. Don’t worry if you miss it: Sky Arts are showing this numerous times throughout the Christmas period.
2.15pm Sky Arts - The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall
A spectacular performance of The Phantom of the Opera at the 25th Anniversary Gala. This special version was filmed at the Royal Albert Hall, London. With an exceptional cast, dazzling costumes and lavish scenery, it is a must for any musical theatre fan.
7.00pm ITV - Dancing on Ice at Christmas
A Christmas special of the ITV programme Dancing on Ice, which sees seasoned professional ice skaters pairing up with celebrities. Alongside the celebrities competing to win the champion title, there are promises of a spectacular routine performed by the legendary Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.
8.00pm Sky Arts - Cats: the Musical
With music written by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on the poetry of the Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, this is a must for any dance lover. This 1998 film of Cats is cited by many professional dancers as being their biggest inspiration when growing up. Don’t worry if you miss it, though, as there are several opportunities to watch it on Sky Arts over Christmas.
Monday 23rd December
1.35pm Channel 4 - White Christmas
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without White Christmas. This classic musical, with its hit song White Christmas, will give you all the Christmas warmth to see you through the festive season.
Tuesday 24th December
8.00am Sky Arts - Royal Ballet: the Nutcracker
Travel to the Land of Sweets, be whisked away in a flurry of snowflakes and dance around your living room to the Waltz of the Flowers. It’s a seasonal highlight and should get you in the Christmas mood on Christmas Eve.
1.50pm Paramount Network - A Nutcracker Christmas
If you love both happily-ever-after Christmas movies and ballet, then this is the perfect film for you! Featuring Sophia Lucia as Sadie, a talented young ballerina living with her ex-ballerina aunt Lily Jamison (Amy Ackler). When Sadie is cast as the lead in The Nutcracker with Philadelphia Ballet, Lily discovers to her great surprise that the director of the production is an old flame.
This Christmas movie premiered in 2016 on the Hallmark Channel.
Christmas Day
12 noon BBC2 - Dancing the Nutcracker: inside the Royal Ballet
A behind-the-scenes look in to the Royal Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. Featuring principal dancer Francesca Hayward as she prepares for this seasonal production at the Royal Opera House, London.
3.10pm Channel 5 - Oliver!
Oscar-winning musical Oliver! returns to the TV this Christmas with its famous singing and dancing numbers, including Who Will Buy, Oom Pah-Pah, and Consider Yourself.
4.40pm BBC1 - Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special
Former Strictly Come Dancing celebrity contestants Joe Sugg, Debbie McGee, Gemma Atkinson, Mark Wright, Richard Arnold and Chizzy Akudolu return to the dance floor for this Christmas special. Who will win the Strictly Christmas title?
Boxing Day
10.50am BBC2 - Oklahoma!
There’s a bright golden haze on the meadow! With rousing musical numbers and a quintessential dream-ballet sequence, this musical was truly revolutionary and has stood the test of time.
Saturday 28th December
8.00pm Channel 5 - Mamma Mia!
Set to the music of Abba, Mamma Mia! is the ultimate romantic comedy featuring Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Amanda Seyfriend. It’s sure to put a smile on your face and some sunshine into the short winter days.
Sunday 29th December
11.10 Channel 5 - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
A dancing extravaganza! A rancher, Adam, brings home his new wife, Milly, who is shocked to discover six ill-mannered brothers.
12.00 noon BBC Radio 3 - Private Passions (Darcey Bussell)
Darcey Bussell became a principal dancer at the Royal Ballet aged 20. In this documentary, she discusses post-performance life and even what dancing has done to her feet. Darcey selects music that is important to her.
12.00 noon Drama - Annie
This 1982 film, adapted from the stage musical, tells the story of an orphan, Annie, and her adoption by Daddy Warbucks. The best singing and dancing number has to be It’s a Hard Knock Life, with the orphans highly rhythmical cleaning of the orphanage!
1.20pm Channel 5 - The King and I
Featuring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr. Anna Leonowens arrives in Siam in 1862 to teach western culture and manners to the royal household. The story features a unique ballet sequence to Small House of Uncle Thomas – a theatrical show of the anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe.
7.00pm BBC4 - Essential Royal Ballet
A documentary looking into the company’s history. The programme features a selection of highlights from the Royal Ballet, presented by Katie Derham.
New Year’s Day
10.15am BBC2 - New Year’s Day Concert Live from Vienna
The annual spectacle of the New Year’s Day Concert, live from the stunning Musikverein in Austria. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra play popular classical music from the pen of the Strauss family and other Viennese composers, with guest dancers from the Vienna State Ballet filmed in various locations throughout Austria. A real highlight for lovers of music and dance alike.
2.30pm BBC1 - The Sound of Music
If you only get the chance to watch one musical this Christmas, make sure it’s The Sound of Music. From dramatic escapes to the breathtakingly beautiful shots of the Austrian mountains, it’s guaranteed to have you singing and dancing for the rest of the day – and possibly even booking your next holiday in Austria! This musical features the incredible talents of Julie Andrews.
5.30pm BBC2 - Romeo and Juliet: Beyond Words
Filmed on location in Budapest, this is the highly-anticipated TV premiere of the cinematic version of Romeo and Juliet by the Royal Ballet. The ballet is a re-imagining Shakespeare’s tragic love story. It is directed by Michael Nunn and William Trevitt and features an all-star Royal Ballet cast.
Friday 3rd January
1.50pm BBC2 - South Pacific
A film version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, South Pacific. Set during the Second World War, this musical features some great dancing, including the famous number There Is Nothing Like a Dame.
BBC1: Freeview 1, Freesat 101, Sky 101, Virgin 101
BBC1 HD: Freeview 101, Freesat 106, Sky 115, Virgin 108
BBC2: Freeview 2, Freesat 102, Sky 102, Virgin 102
BBC2 HD: Freeview 102, Freesat 102, Sky 102, Virgin 102
ITV: Freeview 3, Freesat 103, Sky 103, Virgin 102
ITV HD: Freeview 103, Freesat 111, Sky 103, Virgin 113
Channel 4: Freeview 4, Freesat 104, Sky 104, Virgin 104
Channel 4 HD: Freeview 104, Sky 138, Virgin 141
Channel 5: Freeview 5, Freesat 105, Sky 105, Virgin 105
Channel 5 HD: Freeview 105, Freesat 105, Virgin 150
BBC4: Freeview 9, Freesat 107/173, Sky 116, Virgin 107
BBC4 HD: Freeview 106, Freesat 107, Virgin 107
Drama: Freeview 20, Freesat 158, Sky 143, Virgin 130
Paramount Network: Freeview 54, Freesat 132, Sky 153, Virgin 188
Paramount Network HD: Virgin 187
Sky Arts: Sky 122, Virgin 123
Sky Arts HD: Virgin 156
BBC Radio 3: 90.2-92.4FM, DAB, Freeview 703, Freesat 703, Sky 0103, Virgin 903