For the last two weeks of tour, we made one last trek up to Canada and ended up at Riverdance’s favorite venue, Wolftrap Farm Park, in Vienna, Virginia. We only had 4 shows in Rama, Ontario at Casino Rama last week, so it was great to have some time off towards the end of such a long tour. Since Rama was only about 2 hours from Toronto, many of the cast opted to hang out in Toronto for the few days off, some went home for a few days, and the rest of us tried our hand at a few days of gambling. I should have done anything other than gamble, because I lost a couple hundred, but others had a lot more luck! It’s funny how the casino has no windows or clocks and pumps extra air in to keep patrons awake, because it works! Many late nights at the tables and slots made for a few enjoyable nights off!

Here we are on the party bus to Toronto for Natia's birthday

Some of the girls with Natia at Ultra Supper Club

On the Wednesday night, a bunch of us headed in a party bus to downtown Toronto to Ultra Supper Club to help celebrate dancer Natia’s birthday. It is the same club we spent her birthday at the year before during our 5-week run in Toronto, so it was great to return a year later and all be together to celebrate again. It was such a great night and a great way to spend the day off. The rest of our time went by quickly and before we knew it we were on the way to our last week of tour.

A group of us at the Riverdance closing party

Dancers Rachel, Caterina, Ellie, Marty, and Maeve enjoy our closing party

The troupe…only missing a few!

I can’t believe how fast the last week of tour snuck up on us. Since Riverdance has played at the Wolftrap center for so many years now, and the Lagan company closed there, it was only fitting that the Boyne company finish there as well. We had our company closing party on Thursday in the hotel banquet hall. Associate company manager Ryan Parliment planned an excellent party including a slideshow, drinks, an amazing selection of food, and pictures from the tour in frames on each table. After the party, we all gathered at the hotel bar’s patio and spent the rest of the night enjoying each other’s company.

Some crew and management enjoy the closing party

Some of the troupe enjoying our last rotations of tour

The week seemed to fly by, as all good times always seem to do. The crowds were amazing and everything just seemed to fall into place. Touring for such a long time is not easy, neither is being away from family for so long, so we have all been each other’s family. We have all gotten so close, it is hard to say goodbye, but all good things must come to an end. So, it is bittersweet in saying good-bye to the Boyne company, but exciting for all of us to venture out on new endeavors. Thanks to all of my cast and crew members for giving me some of the best memories of my life, I will never forget my time in Riverdance. Good luck to each and everyone of you in all you do in the future! Also, thanks for reading my blog over the past couple of years, it has been a great run.

Take care…

Kevin

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance Boyne Company Makes Two Final Stops!

This week we ventured on our last split week of a nine-month tour! Wow, we finally made it thru them all! It is crazy to think of how many cities we have visited and going to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Greenville, South Carolina this week added two more states to our tour list.

A train at the hotel in Chattanooga, TN

The first stop to Chattanooga was a first for Riverdance. This quaint little town in the Southern region of Tennessee was very unique. The hotel itself, the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel, was an old converted train station from the early 1900s. In fact, the last train to ever depart the station left in 1973 and it became a hotel the year after. Themed after a train station, there are many shops and restaurants themed on trains, and the hotel even boasted of 27 actual vintage train cars converted to hotel rooms on the original tracks beside the hotel. Two dancers had the privilege of staying in a train car for a few of the nights, Paddy Coyne and Jason Bernard. They thought it was weird to wake in the morning and exit their room on a train platform from the early 1900s, but they were glad for the experience. We all helped them enjoy their room with a wine and cheese party one of the nights; some good “old fashioned” fun!

A group of us in a train car hotel room

Lead dancers Craig Ashurst and Mairead Masuda during their last show together as leads

The town itself was very cute and had many shops and restaurants. Just a quick free shuttle ride from the hotel was a downtown area that had a riverfront walk, aquarium, and trails through woods and such. We had some lazy days spent just wandering the town and enjoying the nice weather. Did I mention yet that it was very hot!!

Dancers Lexa, Mairead, and Jesse backstage in the physio office

A river next to the hotel in Greenville, SC

After our few days in Chattanooga, we headed to Greenville, South Carolina. I didn’t remember visiting this city until we arrived at the hotel and then it all came back to me. The hotel was located right next to the theater and in the downtown district that contained every type of restaurant and convenience that an out-of-towner could hope for. We have really been lucking out on hotel locations recently! The weekend went fairly quickly with five shows and before we knew it, we were off to Canada! Our second to last week was spent in Rama, Ontario in a casino. Check back to see how much money everyone won…and how much I lost!

Kevin

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance Visits to Two More States!

We had two groups traveling to Huntsville, Alabama, with one leaving early in the morning and the other leaving in the afternoon. We had to take two flights, so I was pretty lucky to be in the afternoon group. It was a rather long day, but we all arrived safely to Huntsville. We were staying in an Embassy Suites, so the rooms were nice and big, and another perk of this hotel is the manager’s reception that is held everyday. Every early evening, the hotel has an open bar and finger foods for all of its guests to welcome them to the hotel. Since we arrived on Monday with no show, we were able to take advantage of this great reception. We had a very relaxing evening, then everyone headed out into the town for dinner. It was going to be a busy week of shows and travel, so everyone kind of took it easy.

We had one show on Tuesday and two shows on Wednesday. Since the shows were close together on Wednesday, the company put on a catered meal for us between shows. This is always a good thing, since sometimes there is not enough time to go into town to find something decent to eat. The hotel was also conveniently connected to the venue by a walkway! Our couple of days in Huntsville went by quickly, and we didn’t really get a chance to experience too much of the town. Although, some did get to check out NASA, which is America’s Space Program. Huntsville is home to the Marshall Space Flight Center, the U.S. government’s civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center. So, some were able to check out this amazing facility and how it contributes to America’s continued space exploration!

On the Thursday, the company headed to Norfolk, Virginia. We all had to be split into two groups again with two flights each group. By now, we are beginning to feel that our second home is the airport!! Norfolk, VA is a Navy base town and a port city for cruise ships. Adding to the bustling downtown area with shops, restaurants, and pubs, you can walk along the water and see a mixture of U.S. Navy ships and cruise liners. It made for some nice walks between shows at the weekend.

Here we are at Busch Gardens theme park

Some of the cast rented cars for Friday during the day and traveled to Busch Gardens theme park, which is located in Williamsburg about an hour from Norfolk. Dancer Marcus Maloney has choreographed an Irish Dance show for the park, Celtic Fyre, which opened recently, so we were all able to catch a glimpse of his masterpiece! We were all impressed with the overall production, a big congrats to the cast and crew for a job well done. We all enjoyed a day of roller coasters and before we knew it, we were back in Norfolk for the 5 show weekend.

The set of Celtic Fyre at Busch Gardens

The Griffon ride, which we all bravely survived

I can’t believe we only have a few weeks left of tour! Next, we headed on our last split week to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Greenville, South Carolina.

Until then…

Kevin

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance in Alabama and Virginia

We have had a good deal of split weeks this tour, so we were glad to be in Raleigh, North Carolina for an entire week. Flying into Raleigh went rather smoothly and we were at the hotel early enough to enjoy the evening. The hotel was located right in the middle of downtown, so we were close to lots of restaurants, shops, and of course a couple of nice pubs to enjoy! The downtown area has changed significantly since the last time we made a stop there. Riverdance last visited Raleigh in 2007 and since then, it seems as though a new downtown had been created. An entire plaza with restaurants, fountains, and areas to enjoy the sunshine and cool nights breeze have gone up. An entire Marriott hotel has also been built in the time we have been away, adding to its skyline. It was a welcomed change to what the area used to be like and I think everyone enjoyed their week.

A bunch of cast members out in Raleigh

The week was special for three cast members; Maeve Croke had a birthday this week, and dancers Padraic Moyles and Niamh O’Connor celebrated their last week in the Boyne Company. In honor of the three of them, we spent Thursday night at a bar called White Collar Crime. Fiddle player Pat Mangan DJ’d the event and we all danced the night away. It was a great night out for the entire company.

DJ Pat and fiancee Natia at White Collar Crime

Dancers Lexa, Megan, and Liam

Padraic and Niamh have been an important part of the Boyne Company for some time and they performed their last show with us as the company is to close this June. They have a break for a couple of weeks then start up with the summer production of the Foyle at the Gaiety Theater in Dublin. We wish them luck to all of their future endeavors!

Lead dancer Padraic Moyles and his wife Niamh O'Connor at their going away party

After Raleigh, we headed to Huntsville, Alabama and Norfolk, Virginia, so check back in with us later…

Kevin

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance Welcomed to Raleigh

I had a great few weeks at home for some relaxation, but it was time to get back to work and I met up with the rest of the company in Roanoke, Virginia last Monday. The entire company split travel day between three flights, so it was with good luck that everyone arrived on time and ready to take on Roanoke! The hotel was a gorgeous historic hotel that is on the historic hotel registry in America. It was built during the Civil War to be a connection for the railroad and has evolved over time. The rooms were well appointed with artwork and individuality and the lobby had pictures from the many years past. There was a character alive in the hotel and it was nice to be in such a historical building for the couple of days we were in Roanoke.

Downtown Roanoke

Across the courtyard from the hotel, there was a tunnel that led to a downtown area that was full of restaurants, shops, and art galleries. The weather really stepped up this week, and we were blessed with 70+ degree weather. It is always great to come from a chilly city, then all of a sudden you are wearing shorts and a t-shirt enjoying lunch on a patio at a restaurant. The shows were sold out in Roanoke and the crowds were amazing and that is always a plus. We did not have too much time during the week to sightsee, but we did enjoy the town and the weather. Walks around town and lunches at cafes in the downtown area were great!

Dancers Billy and Lexa in downtown Roanoke

We were to travel at 7am on Friday to Richmond and at 6am Friday morning, the Fire Alarm in the hotel went off and the entire hotel had to be evacuated. This was not well received by the cast! But when the alarm sounds, you have to take it seriously. With the entire company outside the hotel, it was announced that a faulty sprinkler system set off the alarm and we were aloud to go back to our rooms. Again it went off at 7am, and by that point I was up!!

Dancers Lexa, Mairead, and Lisa in Richmond

We got to Richmond on Friday to a nice hotel in the downtown district. Virginia Commonwealth University is downtown, so there were plenty of restaurants and pubs near the hotel. We had to walk thru a massive park with impressive statues to get to the theater, so that was a nice view each day. The company used this 5 show weekend to relax, although some local bars were visited throughout the weekend. Monday, we traveled to Danville, Kentucky and at the weekend we visited Cleveland, Ohio.

Until then…

Kevin

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance spends a week in Virginia

We were all sad to leave the exciting vibe of New York City, but when we arrived in Syracuse, New York, we were happy to relax. The hotel was very nice and the theater was just a quick walk, so that is always a plus. The town itself was really busy because of March Madness. If you are not familiar with March Madness, it is the college basketball tournament that dwindles down to the final teams in a show-off for the NCAA Championship. University of Kentucky happened to play Cornell University at Syracuse while we were in town, so the bars and restaurants were packed with fans either wearing red or blue. It was a sight to be seen.

Other than the basketball game, the town had a lot to offer and I was surprised at how nice of a downtown area it had. Many restaurants and shops lined the streets near the college campus and gave us plenty to do during our days off and after the show. I suggest trying a restaurant called Faegan’s, they had a great menu and they brew their own beer!

Dancers Lexa, Lisa, Myself, and Jessie out after a show in Syracuse

We traveled a couple of hours to Scranton on Friday; with only a few hours of rest and time to get dinner, we headed into the theater for our first performance. Scranton, if you recall, is the home of the American version of the TV show, “The Office.” The show is based in Scranton, PA, and there were objects all around the city hinting at the Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company (the company name on the show). I’m pretty sure though the show isn’t filmed there, just bits around town!

Dancers Christina and Craig out in Scranton

Our massage therapist is from Scranton and on our last night himself and his friend Roxanne threw the entire company a party. She used to be in the wardrobe department on the European tour, so it was great for some company members to catch up with her. The party was held at Kildare’s Irish Pub across the street from the hotel, and it was a great night filled with karaoke, drinks, food, and laughter. The partying went well into the night, but we didn’t have a show the next day, so everyone was able to let loose for the night! I hope no one other than the company had to endear my karaoke voice throughout the entire pub!

Dancers Billy, Lisa, and Ciara-Lee singing there hearts out in Kildare's Irish pub in Scranton

We only had to travel an hour and a half by bus to Binghamton, New York, so travel day was fairly easy. I am heading home for the next week for some time off, so Laura Yanez will be back to fill you in on the week.

Talk to you all soon…

Kevin

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance in Syracuse and Scranton

The Radio City cast and crew!

St Patrick’s week 2010 was a very special week as Riverdance returned to Broadway in New York City to play 8 shows at Radio City Music Hall. We have been looking forward to this week for some time now and it was great to arrive in downtown Manhattan on Monday after a short travel day from Wallingford. Our hotel was located about two blocks from Times Square and even just leaving the hotel you could feel the energy of being in the center of the world! There was so much to see during the week, we didn’t know where to start, but first thing was first, rehearsals. Since Radio City Music Hall is over double the size as our regular Boyne stage, extra dancers were brought in and the staging for each number was different. So, after a night off on Monday we went right into rehearsals, blocking, and a tech run on Tuesday from 11am-10pm. It was an extremely long day, but the fact that we were preparing for an opening night on Broadway made everything seem minuscule.

The cast in the Radio City rehearsal room rehearsing Riverdance

Words can not describe the feeling each of us had and the energy we felt opening night as we walked out on stage. There is such a vibe in Radio City that made everything so exciting. There is no feeling in the world then getting a standing ovation from over 6,000 people at one of the best theaters in the country; we were all so proud of the show and happy to be part of it. After opening night, there was a reception in the lobby of the theater for the cast and all of our guests who attended the opening performance. The entire creative team of Riverdance were out for the evening celebrations. It was a great way to open the week.

Dancers Christina, Ellie, Jordan, and Ciara-Lee with Riverdance Director John McColgan

With so much to do in the city that never sleeps, there was a plethora of activities for the cast to partake in. Ellis Island with the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and top of the 30 Rock Building gave amazing views of the city, Central park was gorgeous to walk around and take a carriage ride, the bright lights of Times Square, and of course the many bars and nightlife aspect were just a few of the things the cast enjoyed throughout the week. One week is not enough time to see everything that you want. And of course, you have the buy the famous, “I (heart) N Y” t-shirt! That is a must.

On the roof of Radio City are dancers Billy, myself, Christina, Jordan, Marcus, and Maeve

Congratulations is in order to dancer Christina McGrath and sound engineer Steve Woods on their engagement while we were in New York. We were all enjoying food in an Irish Pub across the street from the hotel called Rosie O’Grady’s when the happy couple came in to make the announcement. We are all so happy for them and wish them nothing but the best in their future together!

The newly engaged couple Steve Woods and Christina McGrath

We ended up selling out for the rest of the weekend and the crowds were amazing with standing ovations every show. Those New Yorkers can really show their appreciation. We were all sad to leave the city, but all made the best of our week there. There are some milestones in your life that you will never forget and I feel that performing at Radio City is one of them. Thank you to everyone for your hard work throughout the week!

Next, we head to Syracuse and Scranton, PA… until then…

Kevin

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance 15th Year Celebrations on Broadway!

With a very successful first week in Seoul, we were all looking forward to new experiences during our second week. This week the shopping continued, the Korean BBQ was enjoyed, a new set of markets were found, and ok, maybe a few nights out were enjoyed by the cast! Since we had Monday off with no travel, everyone tried to make the most of it. A couple of us ventured to an indoor/outdoor theme park called Lotte World. I was not quite sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised at what this park had to offer. In the massive complex, there were indoor roller coasters, shops, restaurants, smaller carnivalesque rides, an outdoor roller coaster, and a ride called Gyro Drop, which was my personal favorite. It rose you up in a circular car to reveal the vastness of Seoul and then with anticipation in your stomach, the car dropped to give an amazing rush to each passenger. The park was well worth a visit and we were glad to have discovered it for our day off!

There has been a lot of tension between North and South Korea for quite some time now and the borders are closed to everyone. However, there is a demilitarized zone at the border, the DMZ, in which South Korea offers tours of. You are allowed to go to an observation deck and look upon to communistic North Korea, take a journey into one of four tunnels that were discovered 25 floors below the surface by South Korea that North Korea dug in an effort to attack Seoul, and there is a museum to wander. The tunnel was very interesting to see, it is hard to believe there is still so much turmoil between the countries. Everywhere you looked, machine gun packing soldiers protected the area, so we all felt very safe during the tour.

Some of us pose at the DMZ entrance near North Korea

At the North Korean lookout, you can see the military protection in the background

The shows went very well throughout the week and all of a sudden we found ourselves ready to head home and leave the Bann Company, but not without one last night of fun!! Since the evening show on Sunday was at 6pm, we were done early for the night. Most headed out for a nice meal on the town, others packed their rooms up, and the crew broke down the set to be stored. We all met at a bar in the Itaewon district called My Bed. The owners had seen the show that night and were very welcoming to us. We danced the night away and enjoyed what time we had left in Asia. It has been an amazing 12 weeks touring China and Korea and we were all sad to go, but all good things must come to an end at some point. With our heads full of memories and good times, we said our goodbyes and headed our separate ways, hopefully we all made our early morning flights!

Dancers Jason, Aisling, Darren, Craig, and Gemma enjoy the last night of tour

Deirdre, Yvonne, Carla, and Maeve at bar My Bed

A group of us on our last night in Korea

Thank you so much for reading our adventures with the Bann Company, I will be back next week with more from the Boyne Company in America!

Best,

Kevin

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance Bann Company Finishes in Korea

Welcome back to the Bann Company as we continue our trek around Asia! Some of us went home for the downtime, others travelled around Asia, and the rest of us transferred back to the Corrib and Boyne Companies for the two weeks. We were just getting settled when all of a sudden we found ourselves back at the airport ready to fly to Korea. I flew from the Boyne with Niamh O’Connor and Padraic Moyles; I won’t lie when I say that the 14-hour flight from JFK to Seoul felt like an eternity, but everyone in the company arrived safely and ready to begin our two-week run at the Sejong Center in the heart of Seoul.

Dancer Deirdre Dowling and I sightseeing in Seoul

Seoul is one of the largest cities in the World with over 10 million people, but when you include the nearby Incheon metropolis and Gyeonggi province, there are over 24.4 million inhabitants. The people of Seoul have been very polite to us so far and the city is very clean and inviting. When combined with its business ethics, educational values, and entertainment aspects, it is easy to see why Seoul is said to be such a prominent global city. One thing I will say is that the language barrier is not as bad as I was expecting, English is very widely known throughout the city making it a lot easier for us to get around. It may be a hard language to grasp, but I have learned “thank you,” so far. Kamsa hamnida!

A Busy market street in the Itaewon District

The shows have gone well so far. As expected, the audiences are a bit reserved and since this is Riverdance’s first visit to Korea, they were not sure what to expect, but we have been selling quite well and they seem to warm up to us throughout the show! On Monday, a group of us made an appearance on a very popular Korean TV show, which we were able to watch before the show later in the week. I don’t think I will ever understand Korean humor or why this show is so popular, but the funny edits and cuts to our dance numbers made for very interesting television. Hopefully we can get it posted online at some point! So far, the cast has enjoyed many aspects of the city. Whether it be the markets, cooking our own food at the many Korean BBQ restaurants, or taking in the many palaces and sights, we have all enjoyed our time here so far. With that said, I should have bought more at the markets in China, the Korean markets are not as impressive as Silk Street in Beijing.

Dancers Carla, Siobahn, Deirdre, and Yvonne brave the subway system

Musician Matt Bashford and dancer Anne Toner both had birthdays this week, so we headed out for a night on the town to Club Oi in the Hongdae district. This is one of the most unique clubs I have ever been to. You must take off your shoes upon entering this massive igloo-like structure, which consists of wavy white walls, a heated floor and a dance floor with paint and black lights, consistent with what a rave for eskimos would be like! It was an interesting night and the entire company danced the night away!

Some of the female troupe out for dancer Anne Toner's birthday

We have a day off soon and another full week to see what else Seoul has to offer. If next week is like the first, I am sure we will all enjoy ourselves!

Until then…

Kevin

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance visits Korea for the first time

As we landed in Beijing, there was a great buzz among the cast. Our first show wasn’t until Friday, so there were many ideas as to how everyone would spend the first few days off. There was so much to do in Beijing, we were happy to have the opportunity to spend these few days exploring the vastness of one of the biggest cities in the world. On the top of some lists were the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, and of course the markets (any shoppers dream for fake designers and electronics). Another major event was on the entire companies mind, the upcoming DVD shoot for Riverdance-Live from Beijing that was shot over three days during the week. So much preparation and work has gone in to make the DVD shoot go smoothly, so we were all excited to get the process going.

Some troupe members on break in between takes

I have visited the Great Wall of China before, so I opted for a day of shopping at the markets instead. For those that traveled to the Wall, it was an impressive day. The wall stretches for over 5,500 miles and was built to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during various successive dynasties. It was such an amazing site for all of us to see, although walking up the hundreds of steps at one section of the wall was a bit tough on most! The views were spectacular and something that should not be missed if you are ever in Beijing. Tiananmen Square is the biggest square in the world, and has been the main stage for several key events in Chinese History. There is so much history to take part in in this city, it was hard to fit everything in!

A techno-crane carries a camera in front of the stage

Brendan de Gallai, our dancer director flew out on the Thursday and that night we had the last of our rehearsals to get ready for the DVD shoot. We have been working with our dance captains, Niamh and Padraic, for a couple weeks and this rehearsal with Brendan was to be our last before the big shoot. We were all excited and on the first day of shooting, we were able to see how the next three days would go. It was a tad difficult dancing without an audience and ignoring the camera, but the production team and directors were very helpful at making us feel comfortable and the three days of shooting could not have gone any better. It was a very tough schedule over the three days and we were all worn out by the end of it. The shoot was a very rewarding experience and we all can’t wait to see the final product.

Anne Toner, Niamh O'Connor, and Niamh McDarby at the closing party

Dancers Carla O'Brien and Aislinn Ryan enjoy our closing night party

We were sold out for our entire run in Beijing and we finished out the week with a 15th Anniversary Party put on by Riverdance. It is hard to believe that after 15 years, the show is still going as strong as ever and with a new DVD version on the way. The closing party was a success and a great way to end Riverdance’s first extensive Chinese Tour. It has been an amazing 10 weeks, but we were all looking forward to getting home! Some of us returned to the Boyne, others returned to the Corrib, and some returned home, but we will all be back in two weeks time for a two-week run in Seoul, Korea. Until I speak to you from Korea…

The entire cast, crew, and film crew gather after our director called out, "it's a wrap!"

Kevin

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance – Last Stop in Beijing!