You just couldn’t get away from the thunderous sound of step-dancing in the mid-Nineties, and it was all the fault of Riverdance. The wildly popular celebration of Irish dance and its roots and its branches grew from a European American Idol-like program called EuroVision into an internationally successful stage show seen live by more than 18 million people in 30 countries. That should make composer-lyricist Bill Whelan happy, though the Grammy he received in 1997 for Best Musical Show Album is more proof of its appeal. Now in its 10th year, Riverdance is back on tour with more than three dozen dancers, 162 pairs of dance shoes, and 478 costumes per show. Okay, those little factoids are fun to quote, but they shouldn’t diminish the show’s grace and beauty. Riverdance brings together disparate bits of culture and history into dance sequences that are gloriously breathtaking. Drawing on traditional Irish music and shading it with a contemporary edge, director John McColgan gives the decade-old show a fresh look and feel sure to please first-timers as well as longtime fans.
Riverdance runs through Sunday, June 19, at Bass Concert Hall. For more information, call 471-1444 or visit www.utpac.org.
This article appears in June 17 • 2005.