Audiences worldwide gape at the quick steps and outlandish leaps of the Lord of the Dance. Michael Flatley, a world-renowned Irish dancer, created this world-famous Irish folk dance show. The shows had a cult following in the 1990s and performances were recorded for television and distribution on VHS and DVD. Even though you can see a Lord of the Dance show on DVD any time, there's nothing like seeing some of the world's best dancers on stage during a live performance. The dance troupe tours the world amazing audiences of all ages.
Though all of the original Lord of the Dance performances featured Michael Flatley, the touring shows are too strenuous for just one dancer so the part of Lord of the Dance is passed on to other great dancers. The Lord of the Dance touring show is obviously predominately a dancing showcase, but the show does feature a plot. The show features dancing set to a melodramatic, mythological plot. The show features prerecorded music that moves the plot and dancers along. The set also features dramatic use of strobe lights and smoke machines. Lord of the Dance is pinned as 'the world's greatest dance show'.
Costumes also set serve to heighten the experience of the dance. Though costume design is hindered by the fact that the dancers must be able to move freely to perform their spectacular dance moves, the designers were able to create aesthetically pleasing costumes that are also functional. The costumes, sets, and music are appealing, but the real draw is the dancing. The fast paced motion astounds audiences. Feet become the focus when the ensemble of dancers takes the stage. The show has mass appeal and tickets sell fast when this tour comes to town.
This amazing show premiered in 1996 at the Point Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. The audience went wild when the curtain fell and the show received several standing ovations. One of the most amazing facts about the show is that it was staged only eight weeks after its conception. It was soon established as the highest grossing international tour of the year. In Australia alone, the show sold more than a quarter of a million tickets within ten days of release. Videos and CDs also became best sellers around the world. The United States caught the dancing bug in 1997 where the tour sold out 13 consecutive shows at Radio City Music Hall. The troupe was even invited to perform at the Academy Awards in Hollywood.
Lord of the Dance has traveled to 36 different countries including Russia, Hungary, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, the Middle East, and all through Europe and the United States. In the new millennium the ensemble was invited to perform at the Kremlin in Moscow as well as a special Christmas season at Disneyland Paris. For seven years in a row Lord of the Dance was recognized as the world's highest grossing dance show. Ticket sales grossed more than four hundred million dollars in its long run. Michael Flatley, the creator of the most successful dance show in history, decided to retire from his role as Lord of the Dance in 1998 and pursue another dream. He has performed other dance shows, like the phenomenal Feet of Flames and Celtic Tiger, around the world. His charisma, passion, and talent lives on in all of the Lord of the Dance performers who continue to delight fans around the world.
