I have just returned from the theater where I saw the magical Lord of the Dance 25 Year anniversary show by Michael Flatley and it was amazing! I have waited years and years to see this production and tonight, that wish was finally fulfilled.
I can clearly remember the moment I first saw Michael Flatley dance. I was sitting in my flat back in 1994, flicking through the TV channels and Eurovision was on. I wasn't paying too much attention, until the interval, when a lovely dancer came on in a blue velvet dress, dancing prettily, like a ballerina. Then suddenly, out of nowhere this man exploded onto the stage, all taps and fancy footwork, leaping legs and blonde hair gleaming - and that was it, I was in love! I told my fiance all about this when he got home, but he wasn't too impressed. Not his scene, he said, but to be fair, he did buy me the Riverdance music on tape a few weeks later, followed by the VHS of both Riverdance and Lord of the Dance shows too. He was never a fan of the Flatley though. Personally, I think he was a wee bit jealous. 😉
I did like the Riverdance show, but I much prefer The Lord of the Dance and for me, this is where Flatley's originality and innovative way of thinking really shines in full glory. The show has narrative, in the same way that a ballet does, telling a beautiful story of magic and enchantment, love and war. There is Celtic fire in every step and every beat of the music and I defy anyone with a drop of Celtic blood in their veins not to love this show.
So last year when I saw that it was coming to my home town, I immediately snapped up tickets, and even though Michael Flatley has retired from dancing, his spirit is right there throughout the whole performance, because this show simply would not exist without him. I was a little dubious as to who could possibly manage to fill his shoes as Lord of the Dance, a role that is so iconically linked to Flatley, that it is a brave dancer who would take it on. However, I need not have worried, for the new Lord of the Dance, Cathal Keaney, was certainly up to the task and he has just as much charisma as the original. I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I think I've just developed a new dance crush! He was that good.
Of course a dancer's career is relatively short, and so for this show to survive, new dance troupes have to be trained to take it on the road so that people can continue to enjoy it. The performance tonight had different songs, different costumes and slight variations on the music and choreography, but it remained true to the original performance. In one part of the show, the young dancers were dancing in tune with the original cast on the big screen behind them, not a step out of place as they take the torch and dance it forward for a whole new generation of fans to discover and enjoy.
It was a very exhilarating performance, filled with pretty dresses, lots of sequins and many bare chested young men dancing their Celtic hearts out - just the way I like them! I had so much fun tonight, and I did finally get to see Michael Flatley perform too, because he had filmed a set of himself dancing, which was played on the big screen, as the dancers went through quick change. No music. No backup. Just the Flatley, tapping away - and you could have heard a pin drop. It was as if he held the entire audience spellbound. So you might say, I finally got to see him dance on stage after all. I'm very happy about that!
I loved every single second of Lord of the Dance and I came home feeling elated and filled with joy. I also bought the DVD of a special performance that I have never seen before, where Nadine from Girl's Aloud, is singing the role of the Celtic Goddess, Erin. So I'm going to prolong my Lord of the Dance buzz by watching that now! All in all it was a fantastic night and I would definitely go and see the show again, so if you get the chance, go and see it for yourself. It was certainly worth waiting over 20 years for! 😍
BB Marie x
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