| Riverdance | |
|---|---|
 20th Anniversary logo | |
| Genre | Irish folk music,Irish dance |
| Show type | Touring theatrical show |
| Date of premiere | 9 February 1995 (1995-02-09) |
| Location | Point Theatre,Dublin |
| Creative team | |
| Composer | Bill Whelan |
| Producer | Moya Doherty |
| Director | John McColgan |
| Other information | |
| Starring | |
| Origin | Interval performance act at theEurovision Song Contest 1994 |
| Notable early runs |
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| Official website | |
Riverdance is atheatrical show that consists mainly oftraditional Irish music anddance. With a score composed byBill Whelan, it originated as an interval act during theEurovision Song Contest 1994, featuring Irish dancing championsJean Butler,Michael Flatley and the vocal ensembleAnúna. Shortly afterwards, husband and wife production team John McColgan andMoya Doherty expanded it into a stage show, which opened inDublin on 9 February 1995. As of 2023, the show continues to tour the world.
Riverdance is rooted in a three-part suite of baroque-influenced traditional music calledTimedance. The suite was composed, recorded and performed for theEurovision Song Contest 1981, which was held in Ireland.[1] At the time,Bill Whelan andDónal Lunny composed the music, augmenting the Irish folk bandPlanxty with a rock rhythm section of electric bass and drums and a four-piece horn section. The piece was performed, with accompanying dancers from Dublin City Ballet,[2] during the interval of the contest, and later released as a Planxty single. Whelan had also producedEastWind, a 1992 album by Planxty memberAndy Irvine withDavy Spillane, which fused Irish and Balkan folk music and influenced the genesis of "Riverdance".[3] After composing "Riverdance",[1] Whelan said, "It was no mistake of mine to call it Riverdance because it connected absolutely to Timedance".[4]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Riverdance YouTube video | |
 Riverdance at the Eurovision Song Contest 30 April 1994, Dublin |
Riverdance was first performed during the seven-minute interval of theEurovision Song Contest 1994 at thePoint Theatre inDublin on 30 April 1994. The performance was transmitted to an estimated 300 million viewers worldwide[5][6] and earned astanding ovation.[7][8] The performance is often considered the most well-known interval act in Eurovision history[9][10][11] and is credited with transformingIrish dance from a chaste and reserved traditional dance form into a new, modern form.[12] The original seven-minute version was invited to perform atDominion Theatre inLondon at theRoyal Variety Performance in the presence ofPrince Charles in November 1994.[13]
The song "Riverdance", featuringAnúna and theRTÉ Concert Orchestra, was released as a single[14][15] and subsequently topped theIrish Singles Chart for a record-setting 18 weeks.[16][17] As of 2010, it was still the second highest-selling single of all time in Ireland, behind onlyElton John's 1997 double A-side "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight".[18]
After witnessing the initial enthusiasm for the interval act performance in Ireland, husband and wife production team John McColgan andMoya Doherty invested over $1 million into producing a full-length show.[6] Tickets for the show were released for a five-week run and sold out within three days of going on sale.[7]
"Riverdance: The Show" opened at the Point Theatre in Dublin on 9 February 1995.[19] The show starred lead dancersMichael Flatley andJean Butler. The video of the show topped the Irish and UK charts in 1995.[19]
The show moved to London in June 1995, where it had a sell-out four-week run atThe Apollo.[20] During its time in London, Riverdance performed at the Royal Gala 50th Anniversary ofVE Day celebrations at the invitation of Prince Charles[21] and at theRoyal College of Music in the presence ofQueen Elizabeth II.[20]
The show returned to the Point Theatre in July 1995 for a sell-out six-week run.[20]
The show's growing success coincided with lead dancer Michael Flatley clashing with the producers over salary and royalty fees.[22] By early October 1995, a contract dispute over creative control led to Riverdance parting ways with Flatley on the eve of reopening for a second sell-out run at The Apollo.[23] He was replaced byColin Dunne.[24] At the same time, female lead Jean Butler was unable to perform due to an injury. As a result, Dunne paired up with Eileen Martin for the opening night.[25][26] The initial six weeks at The Apollo was extended twice.[20] During this extended period, Riverdance returned to the Royal Variety Performance at Dominion Theatre.[27]
Riverdance travelled to the United States for the first time in March 1996.[28] On 13 March, the show opened atRadio City Music Hall inNew York City for the first of eight sold-out performances over five days. Costing about $2 million to bring the show from Ireland, Riverdance broke even in its first New York outing.[29]
Upon returning from New York, Riverdance went on to have another notable extended run at The Apollo between May 1996 and January 1997.[30][31] By late 1996, Riverdance had created separate companies in order to tour multiple cities at the same time. The Lee company began a U.S. tour in October 1996.[29][30][31] Riverdance toured Australia for the first time in 1997.[32][33]
In 1997, Bill Whelan received a Best Musical Show AlbumGrammy Award for his recording of 'Riverdance'.[34]
A number of notable cast departures occurred around this time, with Anúna leaving in September 1996;[35] Butler leaving in January 1997;[25][36] and Dunne leaving in June 1998.[37]
In 2000, Riverdance performed onBroadway in New York at theGershwin Theatre.[38][39] In 2003, Riverdance featured at the Opening Ceremony of theSpecial Olympics in Dublin[40] and toured China for the first time.[41]
In 2020, Riverdance's 25th Anniversary show began touring.[32] As of 2023, Riverdance has played more than 15,000 performances across 49 countries and six continents. The show has been seen live by more than 30 million people.[32]
In 2021, an animated feature film titledRiverdance: The Animated Adventure was released.[42]
| Riverdance: The Show (1995) Michael Flatley & Jean Butler | Riverdance: Live From New York City (1996) Colin Dunne & Jean Butler | Riverdance: Live From Geneva (2002) Breandán de Gallaí & Joanne Doyle | Riverdance: Live From Beijing (2010) Padraic Moyles & Aislinn Ryan | Riverdance 25 Anniversary Show: Live In Dublin (2020) Bobby Hodges & Amy-Mae Dolan |
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In the spirit oftraditional sessions, the musicians play on stage without sheet music.[43]
But two years ago she followed in Flatley's high-kicking footsteps and suddenly quit.
| Preceded by | Eurovision Song Contest Final Interval act 1994 | Succeeded by |