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So here is some Riverdance for you all! I was in the mood for some footstomping music!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uaHmcCp77JE (http://youtube.com/watch?v=uaHmcCp77JE)

I love the part where they are all in a line!

I am thinking about joining Riverdance!

Thanks! It made my evening.

Kit

Made my day 2!

If you like that you'll love this! Same as in the Mairead post I posted.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tr2GUYgOYAo&mode=related&search= (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tr2GUYgOYAo&mode=related&search=)
Mairead is in it at around 6:25 and she dances with Michael at 8:55! I laughed when I saw her dancing with him!

Ok, now that was sensational. It was great. I have never had the opportunity to see Riverdance. For now CW will have to suffice.

Kit

Just in case anyone was wondering what it takes to be selected for a show like "Riverdance" -

Most Irish kids start to learn dancing in school. Then if they want to get serious, they go to dance school, and progress through feiseanna (dance competitions).

Here is the USA, you can join an Irish Dance School when you are 5 years old.
You would learn to dance in the two types of shoe.... hard shoe (the type shown in the video with taps on to make a lot of noise) and soft shoe, both shown here:
(http://www.redheaddancer.com/client_images/catalog19782/pages/images/about_shoes.gif) (http://www.redheaddancer.com/client_images/catalog19782/pages/images/sm_RPBLS.gif)
The dances you have to learn are the jig, reel and hornpipe, and all the variations of these.
Then when you are good enough, you enter a local or regional competition called a feis (pronounced fesh).
With a lot of practise, dedication and perseverence, and quite a bit of money for shoes and hand-embroidered dresses, you would progress through the different age levels, and if you have a superb teacher like my good friend Laura O'Sullivan of Tír Na Greine,  you might get to National or even International level. Here's Laura in the green blouse standing behind some of her dancers:
(http://www.tirnagreine.com/yappa-ng/show.php?size=320x320&album_name=%2FsuOireachtas%2F2005%2F&obj_name=100_0128.jpg)

Then if you are the best of the best in all your competitions, you could go to an audition and you might just get selected for Riverdance or another dance show.

Told ya you would like it!

Oh, and the song towards the end is "Lord of the Dance" I am so slow! No wonder I reconized it!

In the song, "The Lord of the Dance" is Jesus Christ:

" I danced in the morning when the world was young
I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun
I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he"

However, Michael Flatley thought it referred to him!!!(http://www.lwtstaff.co.uk/phpBB2/images/smiles/laught40.gif)

I know that song but I didn't reconize it in the video. I am Catholic. We sing that song every Good Friday but at a slower tempo! LOL

I've  been a big fan of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance since their inceptions. I've seen LOTD about 4 times, Feet of Flames once, Celtic Tiger once, and Riverdance 4-5 times. Now I'm more into CW of course, but the dance shows are fabulous!

I wish I could have been to a riverdance show.

Riverdance is playing in Newport News, VA on May 25 - 27, and at Wolf Trap on June 14 - 17.

And how am I suppsoe to convince my parnets to fly out their for a Riverdance show?

Beats me.  Don't kill the messenger.

I have always loved Riverdance. And that video is my favorite! The Tap Battle is also good.


Darn it. I live in NC only a few hours away from Newport News, VA. ARGH! If I wasn't saving up for an almost 4 thousand dollar camera I would get my aunt to go with me! The orchestra seats are only (haha) $60 on Ticketmaster.

Life isn't fair...........not fair at all!

I also live in NC. Life is not fair. But CW makes it all better!

At my school in Texas, we're finished with State Testing (TAKS), so now it is time to really teach.  We did around the world with all of our fourth grade classes (8 classes), with each class being a different country and the students rotating from class to class for 45 minutes.  I picked Ireland for my room (duh) and the kids: (a) colored an Irish flag (b) learned a few simple words of Gaelic (c) learned some geography (d) watched some excerpts from A New Journey (which my class knows by heart  ;D) and (e) watched some excerpts from Lord of the Dance.  They loved it!!  They didn't move, or hardly breath they were so fascinated by it.  I did hear though that they drove their teachers crazy the rest of the day trying to "tap" in class!  Oh well.

P.S. Did I forget to mention that I work in a Houston area inner city school.

Hi Folks

Michael Flatley and his wife of course had a son today in Ireland

Congratulations to them!

I wonder....was he born with little tap shoes on?

If he wasn't, you can bet he will have tap shoes on before he learns to walk. :)

My older brother said I am crazy for rediscovering Riverdance and Feet of Flames!
Of course I had to tell him that the Little Pixie was in Feet of Flames! He just gave me this weird "you are crazy" look!

My favorite edition of "River Dance" was the original when Jean Butler was dancing.  That young lady simply floated across the stage, she was amazing.

JIM

will have to watch her cause I ahve not seen her yet.

"The Lord of the Dance" is a song that is sung during the Easter Season in many churches not just Catholic.  At the University where I'm employed, the students  attending (all in attendance) the Catholic services during this period, sing this song with a  lot of feeling and spirit.   It is not only one of their favorite songs, but mine as well.

The "Dance" is life and may we all live it well.

JIM

Makes me want to get in up in church and dance to it! Of course that wouldn't be awkward!

Celticfan:

The verison with Jean Butler has been on DVD.  But it is currently not in production.  I have seen copies listed on Amazon for over $40 and even higher on e-bay.   I do wish they would put it back in production.  If anyone knows of a less expensive sourse let us know.  I believe the original was on PBS.

JIM

Thanks! I did see some of Riverdance on PBS whenever it was on. I was in the elementry school when I saw Riverdance for the first time! That was probably when it first came out.  I wish PBS would show them just once more! They have also stopped showing CW ANJ! Which makes me sad!   :'(

The current Boyne Troupe of Riverdance is coming to Newport News VA May 25th & 26th.
Then the Wolf Trap June 14th to 17th.

They will also be in PA, OR, MA,CT, OH, WI, MI, and NY.

True to form, another romance has blossomed!
The dance captain and a member of the band will be getting married.

I hope they will be as happy as Lisa and Scott.

And I hope you get a better reaction to that post than I did.

Rich, your post puzzled me so I went back to page 1 and managed to find it among all the banners.
I see what you mean......... ::)

Here is Mairead again in Celtic Fire!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=tsttkEZ3Pl8 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=tsttkEZ3Pl8)
 

You're right about Jean Butler. In my opinion, she is the best female Irish stepdancer. However, I also like: Cara Butler, Bernadette Flynn-O'Kane, Gillian Norris, Joanne Doyle, Niamh O'Brien-Flatley, Areleen Ni Bhaoill, Dearblha Lennon, to name a few.

 I believe that the original RD video starring Michael Flatley and Jean Butler is no longer available, but that the DVD entitled " Riverdance in New York" is still out there. Why don't you go on the RD website to find out? If not, the DVD of Jean's and Colin Dunne's short-lived "Dancing on Dangerous Ground" is probably available.

There's a "Best of Riverdance" video, too, but I believe it's only available in VHS.

It's also on DVD. I just cut & pasted this from eBay:

Riverdance -     The Best of Riverdance
Format:       DVD   
Leading Role:    Jean Butler, Michael Flatley
Release Date:    Jun 07, 2005
Region Code:    Region 1: US, CA
UPC:               032031298293
Condition:      New

This one is $13.87, but there are cheaper ones.

I have the original VHS of Michael Flatley & Jean Butler in Dublin, but it's PAL (British/Irish format).
I'm going to have it converted to NTSC then Dave can put it on DVD.
   
            

Oh, that was fun! ;D

Does anyone know the name of the other blonde fiddle player in "Feet of Fire"?

JIM

I think you mean "Feet of Flames" Jim.

The other fiddler is Cora Smyth, a very accomplished musician.
She has a CD with her sister Breda.

(http://www.corasmythbredasmyth.com/FINALcoveronly.jpg)

Their brother Sean is fiddler in the band Lúnasa. He also has a solo CD called "The Blue Fiddle".
Here he is:

(http://www.lunasa.ie/images/img_big/sean_260903105814.jpg)
Each of the three siblings is a multiple "All-Ireland Champion", between them they have won 40 titles.
They all play multiple instruments.
As if that were not enough, they are all three Medical Doctors.
They are from the lovely village of Straide, County Mayo.
Blink and you would miss it! :D

Goodness! What accopmlishments!

Maggie,

I've always wondered how to pronounce Cora Smyth's last name. Is it "Smith" or "Smithe?"

Thanks,

Dianne

It's pronounced Smith.

I've seen Sean Smyth live!  I saw him live with Lúnasa a few years ago.  They are a brilliant Irish band.  Sean is a brilliant fiddler.