I saw Riverdance a couple of times when it was here in New York. I also have the recordings of not only the Radio City Music Hall performance (where you can literally feel the production tilt off into cheese) but the original – the show put together at The Point in Dublin. That was the show that started it all (actually, it all began with a brief dance number in 1994’s Eurovision Song Contest, which was held in Dublin). That brief sequence was so electrifying (and if you see the footage and try to forget what you now know about Riverdance, and the brand it had become, it is not hard to see why) that the public clamored for more. Bill Whelan was hired as full-time composer, and the show was put together. It premiered at The Point in Dublin, and played to sold-out audiences. It seemed that this riverdancing thing might finally be striking a chord in a worldwide audience (as opposed to be a dance that is roundly mocked by pretty much everyone – “It’s so weird, why don’t you move your arms, you look so funny”), so the show was moved to London, where, again, it played to sold-out crowds. Michael Flatley, the big fat puff of air who was the original dancer in the original Eurovision clip and Point production, suddenly exploded into an egomaniac of truly monstrous proportions and demanded he be compensated for the dances he had created with Jean Butler (the other lead), a demand that had not been in the original deal), and he also wanted a piece of all of the profits. He also wanted completely creative control of the show going forward. Moya Doherty, the producer, basically said, “Hell to the no, moron”, Flatley was let go, and another dancer was hired at the 11th hour, a world champion Irish stepdancer. Doherty had the presence of mind to realize that it was the show that was the star, not one person, and also: really, Michael? Really?
Once it played Radio City Music Hall, Riverdance became a juggernaut that lasted a decade. I saw it once it hit Broadway (having already seen the recordings of The Gate production), and while it was wonderful to see the (what felt like) hundreds of stepdancers stomping in unison – the show seemed to take a different turn as it continued. It became more about celebrating multiculturalism as opposed to celebrating Irish stepdancing. There were germs of that in the original show. The producers had wanted to portray the links between Irish stepdancing and other folk traditions, so they hired 4 Russian folk dancers who stunned the Dublin audiences with their athletic balletic dancing, as well as a Spanish folk dancer, and three American tap dancers. These acts were woven into the whole, given their moment in the sun, and in the finale, all of the different troupes did an Irish stepdance together, which is quite emotional to watch. But my memory of the show on Broadway was that the Irish stepdancing took a backseat to celebrating ALL dance, and in doing so, lost much of its unique appeal. For when you decide to celebrate everyone, simultaneously, you often end up celebrating just an abstraction, a New Age amorphous “Oh, aren’t we all alike” thing. “Let’s have a group hug”. You know what? I’d rather not.
The original germ of the idea for riverdancing came about when Moya Doherty was approached to create an act-break, essentially, for the Eurovision Song Contest. Since Dublin was hosting the contest, she thought – well, everyone makes fun of Irish stepdancing, especially Irish people, so wouldn’t it be interesting to make it sexy again? Not only introduce this dance to the world in a way no one had seen before, but also to make Irish people take another look at their own culture, especially the most embarrassing part of it.
You can hear the Eurovision audience erupt at the end of the dance. ERUPT.
My favorite recording is, to date, that original Point production. Once they came to Radio City, the production values got incredibly bombastic, the lights the epitome of cheese, and everything tipped way way over the top. The glitter, the velvet, the lasers … on their way to Vegas. What I like about the Point production is that it still has the feel of a small local outfit. The stage looks flat and bare, the scenery (while professional) seems basic and utilitarian, and the lights are … well, there are some effects (floating Celtic circles and the like), they seem more gritty and homemade, which add to the charm of the thing.
Yes, one still must deal with Michael Flatley, who is one of the most annoying presences I have ever had the misfortune to witness. (I hate when he gestures at his own feet, glancing at the audience like, “Wouldja get a load of that?” Yes, Michael, I see your feet. I got it. Okay? I got it.)
But I don’t want my negative comments about Flatley (who is, after all, an amazing dancer, I’ll give him that – although “Lord of the Dance”? LORD? Really?) to act like a magnet.
To me, this finale still works. It still has a strange and raw power. This production is fresh on the heels of the Eurovision performance. Most of these are the same dancers that appeared in the Eurovision clip. They are about to ride what would be a giant wave, but here, they are just at the beginning. You can feel that rough excitement in the dancing, in the faces.
A couple of observations about Irish stepdancing:
1. I find it charming that Flatley and Butler (who choreographed much of this) clearly couldn’t figure out a way for the two of them to dance together. Each number has the two of them circling around each other, holding each other’s arms, like they’re 10 year old kids. But what that indicates is interesting: Irish stepdancing is a solo affair. Each person dances beside another, but they are self-contained. No touching. No comingling of the sexes, dammit. There are no pas de deux in Irish stepdancing, and Butler and Flatley tried to remedy that by doing their ridiculous circling-thing (about 5 times in the show), but the fact remains: You do this by YOURSELF. Eh, Sinn Féin, anyone? It’s a metaphor. Dancing is always a metaphor for the culture from which it springs.
2. I also love how Irish stepdancing, when done by a bunch of people, side by side, gives the audience the feeling that it is about to be attacked, or a grenade is about to be thrown into the seats. There’s nothing gentle about it, nothing vulnerable. It is not emotionally accessible. It is fierce. An angry warrior’s dance, meant to intimidate. Feet stamping on the ground, shouting, “Get off my land. Here’s a grenade in your face, ya fuckers!”
Here is the finale to the Point production of Riverdance in 1994.
Good stuff, as always, Sheila. But isn’t that always the problem when things get too big? The Three Tenors started off in a similar fashion, with that original concert being given because Carreras had just survived a brain tumor. Then it made money. Lots of money.
In a 1994 or 1995 PBS show about Irish arts that concluded with the Riverdance interval piece, Bill Whelan said that the audience reaction was like the roar you hear at a football match, and, IIRC, “We thought we might be on to something.”
Indeed — the most successful Irish entertainment, besides U2 probably, and still going after 15 years.
I like the earliest version (at the Point, not the Gate, Theatre) best, too. Flatley was a prima donna, but his dancing was fast, precise and powerful. And the major new bit — American Wake — is kind of boring.
Riverdance was a mainstay of local PBS station fundraising for many years, including the most recent DVD of a show in Beijing, where the Chinese loved it as much as that Eurovision audience way back at the beginning.
Devtob – Ah, the Point! Thanks for the fact check.
There was a terrific documentary called The Making of Riverdance – which I remember taping – yes, on video tape – back in the day – and it was fascinating to see the development of the idea. I agree that American Wake is a bit boring – clearly engineered for the powerful Irish-American audience, who helped keep this thing going. But there’s just something so RAW about this first production – which I believe is only on VHS (and, of course, Youtube clips). The Radio City production is on DVD but not this one. I haven’t checked that recently, though, so I may be wrong. I know I still have my video tape copy.
The dance – that finale – is thrilling! How they all come down the steps, together, as Flatley stays at the top, and the combination of his tapping and theirs – make this militaristic marching sound, totally syncopated – it’s brilliant. And the first number, where they’re all stepping in a triangle formation is equally thrilling. I like, too, that the girls are all in black – it’s the traditional costume. When they moved to Radio City, they seemed to think that might be too boring or monastic looking – so the girls were then in red, or green, or whatever – but I like the black. The last time I was in Ireland, I ended up going into a pub in Temple Bar (something I normally avoid – I hate that area – but I had 20 minutes to kill before I was meeting someone) and it was packed, and there was a live fiddler, and 4 young girls, about 19, 20, all in black velvet dresses, step-dancing on the little stage. It was 4 o’clock on a Saturday afternoon. It was magical!
Greg – sure, it’s common, but it still warrants criticism when it occurs.
Devtob – And I think one of the really powerful things (and you can hear it in the eruption of that Irish crowd at the Eurovision contest) that happened was an actual reclamation of something that most Irish people find silly or annoying. Many of them suffered through Irish language classes and Riverdancing classes as kids (The riverdancing section of Angela’s Ashes is one of the funniest parts of that book) – and everyone hates it, and is embarrassed by it. When you’re a kid, I suppose you don’t want to delve into that which makes you (and your country) different. You want to be like everyone else. Especially if you’re a small country like Ireland. But Riverdance, in one fell swoop, handed back pride in that tradition – made it seem not only cool, but like the coolest thing EVER. Liam Neeson said something funny about that and I’m paraphrasing – but at the Radio City premiere, he was there, and said, “This is the stuff we have always been embarrassed by. Not anymore.”
Ah, Michael Flatley. Once my friends and I were watching Lord of the Dance–or more accurately, one person (ahem) watched the whole thing and alerted the rest of the group whenever M. Flatley started hoofin’ so we could all revel in his absurdity together. “Oh, he’s pointing at his feet again! Must be a super cool trick to warrant the extra attention!” “ANOTHER floppy shirt? Really, Mike?”
And then there’s Jean Butler–a cool, floaty goddess of stepdancing just quietly being gorgeous and awesome without all of the ego.
That finale is so stirring! Especially those few seconds (around 2:3o) when they’re all accelerating together…I can’t even imagine how long it took to coordinate that. I wonder if there’s a designated leader of the speeed-up, or if they just practiced it enough times to have it end up at the perfect tempo for the music…or if they just mind meld for the whole show. Yup. That’s definitely it.
Lizzie – I know, that group acceleration is just thrilling. Practice, practice, practice.
I am amazed, speaking of Jean Butler, at how cool she looks – literally. Not drenched in sweat, but lovely and DRY. It literally looks like she is not breaking a sweat (although obviously she is). She’s so beautiful. Her legs!! I also love, though, how all of the girls on that stage have all kinds of body types. Yes, they’re all fit, but twigs are not the norm.
I read somewhere, back in the day when Riverdance was new, that step dancing had originally encompassed arm movements, but the Victorians (and probably the Anglo Victorians who ruled Ireland at the time) decided, in that disapproving way they had, that the dance with arm movements was obscene and improper. I have no idea if this is true, and it probably isn’t, but I so want it to be, and I even more want to see that dance as the Irish originally developed it.
Paul – ha!!! So the British even had their hands in this, then, did they? To be honest, when Butler and Flatley “add” arms to their dances – it just doesn’t look right to me (as beautiful as Butler’s arm movements are). I like the traditional – maybe because it is so fierce and individual and HARD.
Though the music is great, and well-coordinated with the hard-shoe percussion, the parts where it’s a cappella hard shoes are special.
On the stairs in the finale, all of the Distant Thunder dance, and part of Jean Butler and eight girls in Countess Cathleen dealing with the Vikings.
I agree that Riverdance sparked a new-found pride and interest in Irish culture for lots of Irish-Americans, myself included.
I reread Ulysses, read a bunch of Irish history, cried and laughed through Angela’s Ashes, had my first and only mosh pit experience with Black 47, saw the late, great Tommy Makem several times, began marching in the Albany St. Patrick’s Day parade, and visited Ireland with my mother, avoiding the Blarney Stone, Bunratty and the Ring of Kerry, but making sure to check out the Cliffs of Moher, the lanes of Limerick, Dingle, Galway, Cashel, the surf at Lahinch, Kilkenny, Glendalough, the GPO, and the Sandymount Martello Tower.
There were movies, of course — Michael Collins, The Secret of Roan Inish, Into the West, The Dead, and The Quiet Man (again) — and the excellent Ballykissangel TV comedy/drama.
And Riverdance in person, four times, from the first tour (in Boston) to the 2009 “farewell” tour (in Utica).
Hi Sheila, you might get a kick out of this – some really old school Irish dancing a friend sent me a while back. It’s a fun video on a whole bunch of levels. Hope you enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYvU7oBBgKA
Paul – I’ve seen that – I linked to it here once. Really gives you a feel for the community – love it! Love how everyone is crowded around. A slower time.
Devtob – We lived in Ireland for a bit when we were kids while my dad was on sabbatical there. Not really into the Irish-American brand of this stuff – we grew up with a healthy contempt for
1. potato famine memorials (don’t even get me started)
2. St. Patrick’s Day (don’t even get me started)
3. the sentimentalized attitude Irish-Americans have towards Ireland – and especially anyone who took a romantic view of the IRA
Much of this was my father’s influence (my first published essay was about him, and his influence on us as kids. He was like a drill sergeant.).
Part of my distaste for the kitschiness of later Riverdance productions comes out of my natural eye-roll towards any kind of New Age Celtic balderdash.
And devtob – yes, I love it best when they dance without accompaniment. I love it when it’s just the boys.
Go, Irishmen, with your bad selves!!!
The success of Riverdance surely inspired Flatley to do his lesser shows, and sharp producers to create “New Age Celtic balderdash” like Celtic Thunder and Celtic Woman, and promote them through PBS.
Not my pint of Guinness, either.
It’s all for that Irish-American lobby that loves that shite. To quote Eamonn, the guy I talked with in the bar in Dublin (wrote a piece on it, too): “To those people, all they care about is 1847, The Troubles, and The Quiet Man.” hahaha
I’ve always been partial to this adaptation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRgJO36BY0w