Since it first appeared on our screens in 1994, Riverdance has broken all sorts of records. This July, in Dublin City, they’re at it again
The Gathering Ireland 2013 has a bit of everything. It's cute and quirky with red hair conventions and left handed festivals. And it's big, with the Fleadh Cheoil and the largest Gallagher gathering ever.
As for dancing - Riverdance: The Gathering has us covered.
After travelling the world, enchanting audiences and making us all fall in love with Irish dancing all over again, Riverdance are coming back to Dublin this July.
As part of Riverdance: The Gathering, the troupe will be in Dublin's Fair City for July 20 and 22 for a festival of dance and music. Along with attempting a world record for the longest Dance line (keep reading to find out more and click here if you always dreamt about being a Riverdancer), Riverdance will host a super family-friendly day in Merrion Square park. As well as plenty for the kids with face painting and music workshops, you'll have the chance to learn those Riverdance steps that put goosebumps on your neck. Of course, nothing will beat the real thing, and for that there will be a unique show at the Gaeity Theatre in Dublin where highlights from the past nineteen years of the show will be introduced by the First Lady of Riverdance, Jean Butler and Moya Doherty among others.
Riverdance has certainly come a long way since that Eurovision night back in 1994. It may be some time ago, but there's no chance that we'll ever forget it.
“Hear my cry,
In my hungering search for you,
Taste my breath on the wind,
See the sky as it mirrors my colours,
Hints and whispers begin.”
And boy did it begin. Cue drums, choirs, lustful glances, glittering silk shirts, amber ringlets, over one hundred simultaneously tapping feet. Then wait for the baited breath, not only from us at home, but the entire live audience.
When that last tap hits the floor of the Dublin stage, there’s a brief pause from the audience. You can almost feel them thinking: “What…just…happened?”
What happened was the birth of a phenomenon.
Hello world
The mind-blowing success of Riverdance is difficult to summarise, so let’s use some facts to get us there:
- Played 10,000 performances;
- Shows seen live by over 23 million people in over 350 venues worldwide, in 45 countries and six continents;
- A distance of 600,000 miles has been travelled by Riverdance (the same distance to the moon and back);
- A global audience of two billion people have watched the shows;
- Three million copies of the Grammy Award-winning CD sold;
What makes it all the more attractive and memorable is that nobody – not even its creators – saw it coming.
For their next trick, we have been warned.
The Liffey Shuffle
The River Liffey has seen it all. From the bustle of Heuston Station, all the way past O’Connell Bridge, sneaking peeks of Temple Bar and grabbing views of the the Customs House before meeting the Irish Sea. On 21 July 2013, the Anna Livia (as the Liffey is also known) is about to witness a first. We hope.
Right now, the world record for a single line of Riverdance participants rests on 652. Slap bang in the middle of The Gathering Ireland, Riverdance aims to top that and they’ve chosen the Liffey as their set.
Will they…won’t they? If it’s anything like the spectacle performed on that April day in 1994, we’ll definitely be there to find out. Will you?
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