Riverdance Troupe. Final Farewell Tour of North America. Photo credit: Jack Hartin

When Julian Erskine last saw the American touring company of Riverdance he had to smile.

He was in the Segerstrom Center for the Arts on an October night in Costa Mesa, Calif., watching the high-stepping cast electrify the crowd once again despite more than a dozen years crisscrossing the nation.

“To be at the back of a hall with the audience jumping to their feet at the end of the show after all these years, it’s just so gratifying and just so pleasing,’’ says Erskine, the show’s senior executive producer, by phone from Dublin.

Even so, the end of the road is nearing. Riverdance is currently on an 82-city farewell North American tour that’s winding across the U.S. and Canada and ends in June. This month, the show left Texas, hit the Southeast and next goes to the Plains.

“It’s certainly emotional to be saying goodbye,’’ says Erskine.

The show has been touring continuously in North America since 1996, sometimes with two companies simultaneously. While organizers insist there’s still interest in the U.S., new markets beckon in South America, India and China.

The touring company includes six principal dancers, 18 troupe dancers, a live five-piece band, flamenco dancer and two American tap dancers, one of whom is also a baritone soloist.

Padraic Moyles, one of the principals, is dancing with a heavy heart. He joined “Riverdance’’ in 1997 and fell in love with his co-star and now wife Niamh O’Connor while in the show. While he has performed elsewhere, he says American audiences are special.

“Anybody who joins the show from here on out and doesn’t get the opportunity to perform it in America, will be missing something,’’ he says. “I hope that someday, whether its 10 years from now, it does come back so that people get to experience that reaction again.’’

Riverdance opened at Dublin’s Point Theatre on Feb. 9, 1995, at a time of renewed Irish optimism and pride surrounding the onset of the booming “Celtic Tiger’’ economy. Years of relative poverty were disappearing and being Irish had a new cool, thanks to a new generation of athletes and musicians like U2 and The Cranberries.

“The timing couldn’t have been better. We just picked up on a vibe that was happening in this country and we suddenly felt, `Maybe it’s not so bad being Irish. Maybe we don’t have to be the butt of every joke,’ says Erskine. “It couldn’t have happened five years earlier. It just wouldn’t have happened. I don’t think we would have had the courage to have done it.’

It has since been seen by an estimated 22 million people in 40 countries, from Red Square to the Great Wall of China.  It made its American debut in 1996 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and packed the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway for 18 months in 2000-2001.  Not bad for a show that first premiered on the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest as a seven-minute segment.

RIVERDANCE  will play the following US cities

from February to June 2012, FOR THE VERY LAST TIME!

Kansas City, MO  -  Grand Forks, ND  -  Duluth, MN

Mankato, MN  -  Brookings, SD  -  Omaha, NE

Sioux City, IA  -  Davenport, IA  -  Champaign, IL

Springfield, OH  -  Muskegan, MI  -  Wisconsin Dells, WI

Peoria, IL  -  Chicago, IL  -  La Crosse, WI

South Bend, IN  -  Wabash, IN  -  East Lansing, MI

Springfield, IL  -  Saginaw, MI  – New Philadelphia, OH

Detroit, MI  -  Lancaster, PA  -  Easton, PA

Concord, NH  -  Boston , MA  -  Bangor, ME

Glens Falls, NY  -  Richmond, KY  – Knoxville, TN

Salem, VA  -  Greensburg, PA  -  Philadelphia, PA

St. Louis, MO  -  Asheville, NC  -  Greensboro, NC

Raleigh, NC  -  Huntington, WV  -  Charlottesville, VA

Baltimore, MD  -  Augusta, ME  -  Hartford, CT

Salisbury, MD  -  Vienna, VA

 MORE DATE TO GO ON SALE SOON!

Read this on the Riverdance website: Saying goodbye to North America

Here are some photos from the event!

Pictured are concert hosts Aidan Power and Michele McGrath with members of the Riverdance troupe

Pictured are concert hosts Aidan Power and Michele McGrath with members of the Riverdance troupe

Pictured is Zoe Browne from Bui Blog Productions and members of the Riverdance troupe

Pictured is Bressie with members of the Riverdance troupe

Riverdance performing on the stage

Riverdance was first performed during the 7-minute interval of the Eurovision Song Contest on 30 April 1994.

It received a standing ovation. Later that year, the BBC commissioned a repeat performance of the act for the 1994 Royal Variety Show, when it was introduced on stage by Sir Terry Wogan. At Congratulations : 50 Years of Eurovision,  it was named as one of the most popular interval acts in the history of the contest.

Almost two decades later and Riverdance has grown from strength to strength. Now one of Ireland’s most internationally renowned acts , Riverdance has promoted our green isle with their traditional style of dance adapted to a new modern audience.  Bill Whelan’s Riverdance has become a global success, reaching homes and stadia from New York to Beijing and Paris to Australia.

Read this on the Riverdance website: Photos NYE Dublin

DUBLIN’S 3 DAY

NEW YEAR’S FESTIVAL

30 DEC – 1 JAN

NYE Dublin is Dublin’s first official New Year’s festival. This inaugural event was celebrated over the course of 3 days from 30 December 2011 to 1 January 2012 in Dublin’s City Centre.

The city centre will be buzzing as we bring the music straight to you with a host of world class Irish acts taking to the College Green stage. Headliners include the iconic Riverdance, newcomer Bressie, renowned singers Paul Brady and Damien Dempsey and The Coronas. With many more exciting acts to be announced, this concert is sure to be the highlight of the NYE Dublin festival so be sure to get your ticket today!

As Dublin’s biggest supporters Failté Ireland and Dublin City Council  saw the requirement for an event that would highlight Dublin as a fantastic European destination during this festive season.  Through their funding and on-going support NYE Dublin will animate our beautiful city like never before with street performance, theatre, art, markets and entertainment.

Whatever the weather Dublin will be set ablaze with the energy, festivity, excitement and celebration of this annual holiday.

Don’t miss your chance to witness this dance and stage phenomenon and celebrate this New Year’s Eve with Ireland’s very own Riverdance.

BOOK TICKETS HERE!

Riverdance was first performed during the 7-minute interval of the Eurovision Song Contest on 30 April 1994.

It received a standing ovation. Later that year, the BBC commissioned a repeat performance of the act for the 1994 Royal Variety Show, when it was introduced on stage by Sir Terry Wogan. At Congratulations : 50 Years of Eurovision,  it was named as one of the most popular interval acts in the history of the contest.

Almost two decades later and Riverdance has grown from strength to strength. Now one of Ireland’s most internationally renowned acts , Riverdance has promoted our green isle with their traditional style of dance adapted to a new modern audience.  Bill Whelan’s Riverdance has become a global success, reaching homes and stadia from New York to Beijing and Paris to Australia.

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance perform at NYE Dublin