9 Men Gather In Line To Dance But Notice Man In Front When Woman With Drums Enters Stage

Mar 20, 2021 by apost team

If you have not had the chance to check out the fabulous "Riverdance" show, now is your chance to do so. This 2013 live performance of the Irish step dancing group is sure to blow you away.

This show began in April of 1994 when the famous Irish dancing champions and lead dancers for the show Jean Butler and Michael Flatley combined forces to form a world-touring dance troupe. The results were simply amazing!

Although Flatley and Butler are the experts, a number of additional "Riverdance" troupes have formed because of the booming popularity of this style of dance. The groups are usually named after famous rivers in Ireland, including Lagan, Shannon, Corrib, Foyle, Moy and Bann. This tradition of using river names celebrates the heritage of the dance genre while giving each troupe a unique moniker.

This particular performance will surely leave you in awe of the talent of these dancers. In this video, audiences will delight in how the dancers twirl and high-step across the stage with ease. It is obvious that the dancers spent a lot of time and effort preparing for their routine.

As the performance begins, it is only men on the stage. However, the gig really kicks into high gear when a woman appears on stage, joining everyone in the clog. Just when you think it cannot get any more fun, drums join the musical entourage. The fast-moving show will certainly leave you breathless as each segment seamlessly segues into the next.

You might ask yourself: Where did this dance come from? And why is it so popular?

While the performance does have traditional roots in traditional-style music, "Riverdance" is a modern creation. Bill Whelan and Donal Lunny composed a three-part suite named “Timedance” for the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest, which was hosted by none other than Ireland that year. This composition was a precursor to the "Riverdance" that fans know and love today. During that 1981 performance, the Irish folk band Planxty — known for their songs “Raggle Taggle Gypsy,” “The West Coast of Claire” and “The Good Ship of Kangaroo” — performed with a four-piece horn section and a rock rhythm section. While the massive band played, a group of ballet dancers accompanied the music.

But it wasn't until a Eurovision performance in 1994 that "Riverdance" came to fruition. Performed as an interval act for the Eurovision Song Contest at Dublin's Point Theatre, "Riverdance" was just a 7-minute performance, which was transmitted to around 300 million viewers worldwide, according to the "Riverdance" website.

"Just as my life changed with Eurovision 1994 so the cultural image of Ireland was also transformed. Irish culture, expressed in this case through dance and music, and as part of a wider, cultural awakening, took its place with confidence on the world stage," co-producer Doherty was quoted as saying on The "Riverdance" website.

The performance received a standing ovation, and Doherty and her husband were convinced that they had something special on their hands. The couple invested more than $1 million to produce a full-length version of the show. And it turns out that was exactly the right move.

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Since then, "Riverdance" has become an international theater phenomenon. Various productions take place all over the world from New York City to Geneva.

"It is rare in my theatergoing experience to pine for something specific during Act One — only to have it delivered with winning playfulness in Act Two. ‘Riverdance’ does that," Kathleen Campion writes in her 2020 review of the 25th Anniversary Show at Radio City Music Hall. "The seemingly effortless flights of dancing supported by lively mythic sounds, in the first act, is gorgeous. Still, as I watched the Irish dancing, I kept seeing Bill Robinson, and Gregory Hines and Gene Kelly."

Most recently, production companies River Productions and Aniventure have announced that they would be releasing an animated feature film based on "Riverdance." The cast is set to include well-known actors and actresses like Lilly Singh, Pierce Brosnan, Pauline McLynn,  Brendan Gleeson, Jermaine Fowler, Aisling Bea and John Kavanagh.

"The breadth and depth of the comedic and dramatic talent of this cast resonates with every line. Their vast experiences and wild imaginations delivered brilliantly nuanced performances which will thrill their fans and charm new audiences,” director Dave Rosenbaum said in a statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Whether or not you're familiar with "Riverdance," you now see just how popular and successful it is. It's gone from a short 7-minute performance to become a worldwide theater sensation and a feature film featuring Pierce Brosnan.

It has also inspired other prominent dance groups like the Fusion Fighters, a contemporary dance group founded by Chris Naish. The Fusion Fighters went viral with their 2017 Irish dance World Championships performance.

Similar to “Riverdance,” Naish’s company also aims to add a modern twist to more traditional forms of dance, according to the Fusion Fighters’ mission statement. The crew is made up of more than 50 dancers, hundreds of international students and more than 20 musicians. While the dancers at Fusion Fighters have trained in Irish dance, many are like Naish in that they also have experience in more contemporary forms of dance and in areas like body percussion.

According to an interview with Celtic Life, the Fusion Fighters are directly influenced by “Riverdance.” The dance company’s founder and artistic director, Chris Naish, has even danced with Whelan’s 200-member orchestra.

 “The idea for Fusion Fighters came when I was living in New York, and working for several years on how to fuse a variety of dance forms that I was trained in – Irish dance, body percussion, tap dance,” Naish told Celtic Life. “I would often arrange experimental collaborations.”

“I just knew I couldn’t stop until I created my own company with performance opportunities and workshops where I could make this new dance form available for others to both watch and learn.”

 If you're curious how "Riverdance" has managed to inspire a whole generation of ambitious dancers like Naish, watch the video below. Even if you don’t have any aspirations to dance, it’s likely to make you crack a smile.

And if you enjoy the performance, rest assured that there are myriad “Riverdance” performances on YouTube — from the 2003 Olympics in Dublin, Ireland, to the 1994 Eurovision version.

We think that you will love this performance just as much as the rest of the world. Be sure to spread the magic once you have experienced it for yourself. And let us know what you think. Have you ever seen “Riverdance” live