DOES 30 YEARS of the same live dance musical performance not eventually get a little stale?
According to Michael Flatley, the Irish-American Lord of the Dance himself, it does not.
Ahead of the 30th anniversary of his hit stage production, Flatley was speaking in Dublin city today, across the road from the stage where the Lord of the Dance all began – the venue now known as the 3Arena but still commonly referred to by Dubliners as ‘The Point’.
Speaking to a room of reporters at the Gibson Hotel, Flatley explained that the hit musical show is not the same production that it was in 1996.
“There’s a brand new set and a fabulous new lighting design, there’s new sound designs, new musical numbers, and a couple of new dance numbers,” Flatley said.
Interest in the anniversary performance is clearly high – the press conference was packed, with reporters lining a corridor afterwards for quick one-on-one chats with the now-retired superhoofer.
A press statement passed around to the dozens of journalists in attendance humbly stated that Flatley “changed the face of Irish dance forever” with Riverdance, before moving on to the Lord of the Dance the following year.
Since its premiere just two years after Flatley’s iconic Riverdance performance as part of the 1994 Eurovision interval act, the Lord of the Dance has been viewed by over 60 million people across 60 countries.
Flatley parted company with the Riverdance producers just over a year after the Eurovision set-piece in a row over credit for the choreography of the show’s touring production.
Lord of the Dance debuted in The Point in July of 1996 and went on to tour the world. An expanded version of the show was peformed to tens of thousands of people in London’s Hyde Park in 1998.
According to Flatley, over 500 people from around the world attended the most recent round of auditions to join the show.
“I’m endlessly proud of those people. We had auditions recently here in Dublin, and my God, they were so prepared, it was very difficult to choose one from the other.”
On his new dancers, Flatley said that they’re “like I’ve never seen them.”
A number of dancers who are set to perform in the anniversary gig. Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland
Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland
“They’re bouncing off the walls, because this is what they work for. They just performed in South Africa a few weeks ago, on the opening night they got a 10 minute standing ovation.”
Flatley, now aged 67, will not be making an appearance in the show.
Does he miss performing?
“How could I not miss it? Of course, I do, I always will,” he said.
“There’s a hologram toward the end of the show of me performing that I recorded just before I retired back in 2016. The audience seems to love it, but that’s as close as I’ll get to being back on stage.”
Áras bid
Seperately, it was confirmed today that just three candidates – Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys and Jim Gavin – will be contesting the presidential election.
Was it a coincidence that Flatley held the press conference today, as nominations closed, considering he had mulled over a run for the Áras himself earlier this summer?
Yes, of course it was, but Flatley did address his potential Áras bid.
“I’m sure the right person will take that job,” Flatley said. “These things are in the hands of God.”
Flatley pictured with two performers from the anniversary show. Photorapher / Photocall Ireland
Photorapher / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland
Flatley is still receiving treatment for an aggressive cancer which he was diagnosed with two years ago.
He added that he could not “in good conscience” run for the presidency if he did not have “a clean bill of health”.
“If I did, it might have been different, but it wouldn’t be fair to the Irish people,” he added.
“You can’t lose track of the fact that this is for the Irish people. It’s not about me. It’s not about the individual, it’s for the Irish people.
“What do they want? It’s not up to me. My job is to represent my country to the best of my ability, and I believe under the current circumstances, I can better serve the Irish people by continuing to do what I do.
“If that ever changes, that’ll be the first thought in my brain.”
The Lord of the Dance will return to the 3Arena on 5 February to mark its 30th anniversary. Tickets will range from €30 to €80, and go on sale next week.
