For the first time ever in Amherst, the original international phenomenon “Riverdance” is set to showcase its one-of-a-kind Irish step show. The performance will run May 21-May 23 at the Mullins Center at the University of Massachusetts.
The show is produced by Moya Doherty and directed by John McColgan, with musical composition by Bill Whelan. The performance is essentially a blend of dance, music and song that draws on Celtic mythology and Irish traditions, capturing audiences of all ages and cultures. Breathtaking not only in its sheer visual spectacle, “Riverdance” enchants with emotion and sensuality that haunts long after the curtains close.
Irish-born Niamh O’Connor (her first name is pronounced “nee + iv”) is one of the original members of the “Riverdance” cast still performing with the show. She began her professional Irish dance career in 1995, when she was chosen for “Riverdance” at the Point Theater in Dublin, Ireland.
There are three different “Riverdance” productions currently touring around the world. Until three years ago, O’Connor danced in The Corrib Company’s production, which is touring the United Kingdom and mainland Europe in 2007. During her time there, O’Connor performed in such nations as Scandinavia, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, China and all over Europe and North America. Since then, she has happily worked for the North American touring production of “Riverdance,” called The Boyne Company. “It’s great for me to be here,” said O’Connor, “I love seeing the world.” The third is The Foyle Company, which performs in Ireland every summer.
Considering these dancers perform eight shows per week, it’s safe to say that their job is physically demanding – dancers only get one day off per week while traveling.
“We rehearse before the show every evening, to make sure everyone is together and knows what position they’re in,” said O’Connor, adding that the dancers undergo a special intense rehearsal every few weeks as well.
When O’Connor was four years old, her mother, who was a former dancer, put her in Irish step dancing classes at the Inis Ealga Dancing School in Dublin with the hope of teaching and preserving the Irish cultural heritage. However, O’Connor said that there was no professional Irish dancing on any scale at that time, “Riverdance” being the first. “Now children have something to aspire to, but back then I didn’t have that,” said O’Connor.
Between 1988 and 1994, she studied with Marie Duffy and danced competitively, winning numerous medals in the Leinster, All-Ireland and World Competitions in both solo and figure dancing.
Shin splints are the most common injury for “Riverdance” dancers, who endure many strain injuries because of their tap performances.
“I have some [problems] because I’ve been doing it for so long. After every performance, we put ourselves in ice buckets up to our knees. It’s painful but it does the job,” said O’Connor. She went on to say that the ice keeps injuries at bay. “Your legs tire. Prevention is one of the key things, rather than trying to treat [the injury] when it arrives.”
O’Connor said that she has stuck with “Riverdance” for 12 years because she loves performing and being on stage. “It’s the best show that I could possibly be in to do what I do. If I move to another show, I wouldn’t be doing myself any justice.”
O’Connor said that when “Riverdance” opened in 1995 most dancers stayed with the show for an average of seven or eight years, but there are sometimes changes in the cast. Because of injuries, people may leave the troupe, or be transferred back and forth between the three production companies, but in general there isn’t a large turnover of dancers.
She is currently one of the only remaining cast members who performed at Radio City Music Hall in New York for the first time in 1996, and she also holds the record for the greatest number of performances in the show by any cast member. She took part in the opening ceremony for the Special Olympics, which took place in Dublin in June 2003.
O’Connor said she feels the show has been running strong and successfully since it started because of all the different elements, not just the dancing. “There is award-winning music, Russian ballet dancers, wonderful singers, five piece bands and flamenco dancers. The show has something for every age group,” said O’Connor.
Amazingly enough, between touring and rehearsing, O’Connor finds the time to study Advanced Interior Design with the Regency Academy of Fine Arts in London. “Luckily I have the whole morning and the afternoon to study. Many of the performers study to be Irish dance teachers,” said O’Connor. Her interest in art and design sprouted before she joined “Riverdance.” “When I was 18, I loved design and wanted to go to art college. When I got older, I realized I should.”
There are 67 members in the Boyne Company, including 41 dancers made up of 32 Irish dance troupe members, six Russian folk dancers, two American tappers and one Spanish Flamenco dancer. The ages of performers range from 19 to 32. The company estimates that their dancers go through about 10 pairs of shoes per year, no surprise considering that there is an estimated 10 thousand individual steps per dancer in each show.
Since the onset of “Riverdance,” the company has played more than 9,000 performances throughout 32 countries around the world, traveling a distance equivalent to the moon and back, more than 500-thousand miles.
Tickets for the upcoming performances at the Mullins Center start at $47.50 and go up to $60. They’re available at the Mullins Center box office, www.TicketMaster.com or by calling 413-733-2500.
Morgan-ann Rousseau can be reached at [email protected].
