Riverdance

Riverdance is a theatrical show consisting mainly of traditional Irish music and dance. Featuring Irish dancing champions Jean Butler and Michael Flatley, and with a score composed by Limerick native Bill Whelan, it originated as an interval performance act during the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. Shortly afterwards, husband and wife production team John McColgan and Moya Doherty expanded it into a stage show, which opened in Dublin on 9 February 1995. Since then, the show has visited over 450 venues worldwide and been seen by over 25 million people, making it one of the most successful dance productions in the world.

Background

Riverdance is rooted in a three-part suite of baroque-influenced traditional music called Timedance composed, recorded and performed for the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest, which was hosted by Ireland. At the time, Bill Whelan and Dónal Lunny composed the music, augmenting the Irish folk band Planxty with a rock rhythm section of electric bass and drums and a four-piece horn section. The piece was performed, with accompanying ballet dancers, during the interval of the contest, and later released as a Planxty single. Whelan had previously produced EastWind, an album by Planxty member Andy Irvine with Davy Spillane whose cross between Irish and Southeastern European folk music proved an influence on Riverdance. Thirteen years later, Bill Whelan was invited to do the intermission piece for another Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, and composed Riverdance. In a book about Planxty (The Humours of Planxty, by Leagues O'Toole), Whelan says, "It was no mistake of mine to call it Riverdance because it connected absolutely to Timedance".

This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Riverdance

Latest News for: riverdance

Edit

Sunday Miscellany: Broadway, Baby! Liz Nugent does the Riverdance

RTE 18 Mar 2025

... of fire for the author, in her previous life as a Riverdance stage manager...

Edit

GIVEAWAY: WIN tickets to Riverdance at Radio City Music Hall in New York

Irish Central 17 Mar 2025

We have a pair of tickets to give away to the Riverdance 30th anniversary performance at Radio City Music Hall in New York this March! ... .

Edit

Watch the embarrassing moment Riverdance star falls over live on The One Show

The Sun 15 Mar 2025

ONE Irish dancer took a major stumble on live TV as she performed with the popular international troupe, Riverdance ... “Riverdance ... BBCKeeva spoke about Riverdance’s upcoming UK tour[/caption].

Edit

BBC The One Show viewers say same thing as Riverdance performer falls over live on air

The Mirror 14 Mar 2025

On Friday's instalment of The One Show, BBC viewers were treated to a special performance by Riverdance as they celebrate their 30th year ... .

Edit

Italia 90 squad, Cian Ducrot and Riverdance to appear on St Patrick’s Late Late Show special

Irish Independent 13 Mar 2025

The 1990 Republic of Ireland squad ...

Edit

Billionaire developer Luke Comer helps ‘Riverdance’ star Michael Flatley in battle to keep his mansion

Irish Independent 05 Mar 2025

Edit

Billionaire developer helps ‘Riverdance’ star Michael Flatley in battle to keep his mansion

Belfast Telegraph 05 Mar 2025

Article Search

tools

You can search using any combination of the items listed below.

Language:

Sort:

Indexed:

Search:

Duplicates:

Riverdance

Background

Podcasts:

Riverdance

ALBUMS

The Best Of

Riverdance

Latest News for: riverdance

Sunday Miscellany: Broadway, Baby! Liz Nugent does the Riverdance

GIVEAWAY: WIN tickets to Riverdance at Radio City Music Hall in New York

Watch the embarrassing moment Riverdance star falls over live on The One Show

BBC The One Show viewers say same thing as Riverdance performer falls over live on air

Italia 90 squad, Cian Ducrot and Riverdance to appear on St Patrick’s Late Late Show special

Billionaire developer Luke Comer helps ‘Riverdance’ star Michael Flatley in battle to keep his mansion

Billionaire developer helps ‘Riverdance’ star Michael Flatley in battle to keep his mansion

Article Search

EXPLORE WN.com