The CN Tower, Kensington Market, Little Portugal and Bloor Street… Oh! Toronto how I have missed you. Riverdance returned to the fabulous city in Ontario exactly three years later except this time it wasn’t the Cannon Theatre on Yonge. It was to the exquisite Sony Centre in the heart of the financial district. For five final performances we bring you the phenomenon one last time.

Two bus loads of tired but excited dancers and musicians depart 1 Summers Lane, Hamilton, ON after another cracking performance. One hour later we are scattered within the lobby of the Hyatt on Queen Street West. Yes, Toronto we have landed! Please note we are well past the half way point in our tour and we have no concept of time anymore! Day equals night, night equals day. Being 11:30 at night doesn’t even enter the equation and, as you can imagine, everyone is anticipating exploring Toronto in their own way. Some enjoy setting into their hotel rooms and check out all the latest luxuries within. Some are keen to accommodate hungry tummies and others simply want to paint the town red! Whatever the curiosity, something is on offer!

For those lucky enough to have spent the blissful five weeks here previously, we know our way around and I am more than ready to hit my favourite spots all over again. After a quick supper I retire to my dreamy bed and no sooner has my head hit the pillow but I am out like a light. After a short fight with the alarm clock, I surface at half past nine. Boy, am I glad I won that fight because it would be sinful to sleep through a gorgeous sunny morning such that it was that Friday. I begin with a quick hot tea in the Tim Horton’s next to the hotel and with that I’m fuelled to hit the stores on Yonge-Dundas Square, in particular, the H&M in the Eaton Centre. Gentlemen you can choose to skip the next few lines if you please, women I urge you to read on!
Well once upon of time there was an Italian clothing designer who to this day is know as ‘Marni’. Long story short her limited collection was still on display in this particular H&M. Bare in mind, many’s the vogue magazine I stared at longingly wishing to own some of these ‘Marni’ creations. Wish granted: I managed to snap several outfits which were sitting all alone on a sale rack in the store. I am gladly reporting to Marni her collection has now gone to a happy home!
And we’re back….

Subject shopping is now closed and I take you through the rest of my day up Chinatown past all the many authentic restaurants, Asian food stores, hair salons and beauty parlors. It’s too early for dumplings but hunger strikes. I ignore the pangs, temporarily as I have brunch already planned. I finally reach my destination. Somewhere near and dear to me. I present to you; Kensington Market. Many is the afternoon I spent here lounging aimlessly about the narrow streets. I decided on an old favourite; The Grind House for a mug of cappuccino and a breakfast bagel. I sit out in the basking sun and do what I do best- people watch!

I am soon joined by Spanish dancers, Marita Martinez and Nelida Tirado (whom is temporarily filling in for Marita due to injury) and tapper, Jason E. Bernard. We spend the rest of the rest of the afternoon ducking in and out of old vintage stores, cheese-tasting and general fool-acting with locals

My Twitter obligations continue and I am happy to report that my capabilities to tweet on behalf of @Riverdance have, dare I say, improved! This time I report for the Sony Centre for the duration of our performances in Toronto. I was very proud to include live photographs from behind the scenes at ‘Canada AM’. Our Riverdance male troupe did us proud (despite a grumpy early start that morning!) Wouldn’t you think they’d be used to it by now?!

Peterborough, Ontario brought the end of an era for some of our dancers here in the Shannon. Veterans Padraic Moyles and Niamh O’ Connor bid adieu to the American stage after serving many years with the ‘American’ Company. Niamh and Padraic were joined by Lauren Smyth, James Keating and singer/ tap dancer, Micheal Wood on their transfer to our sister company, the Moy. Here they join the Moy on a six week tour of Australia and New Zealand until June. We wish them all the very best. But, as the saying goes, one door closes and another opens and it did just that for their replacements. We have since welcomed Megan Baffa, Owen Barrington, Ben Mapp, Tokiko Masuda and Callum Spencer. They shall complete the remaining seven weeks with the Shannon Company.

And this is where I leave you folks. Back on American soil next week!. Who needs National Geographic subscription when you have the Riverdance blogs?! I will take you to far off towns you have never thought of visiting. Live the American dream with me.
Slán!

Read this on the Riverdance website: Oh! Toronto how I have missed you

The past number of weeks have been so hectic I don’t even know where to begin but our time in Boston is surely a good start. Having enjoyed a nice evening with cast member John Grime’s family in Concord, New Hampshire we arose early the following Friday morning to catch the public bus to Boston. Since the Boston marathon was on, the hotels were jam packed so our company hotel was quite a distance from the city. Instead, a few of us decided to stay at the “Marriot Quincy” giving us more freedom to come in and out of the city as we pleased, which was great.

The weather was beautiful when we arrived into Boston and once we dropped our bags at the venue, we were free for the day. We set off to “Harvard University” and general Cambridge area which, as you would imagine was buzzing with bright young scholars. As we explored the beautiful and intriguing university grounds, it dawned on us that we were also standing in the very place where “Facebook” once crashed the university server!

Leaving the books behind in search of lunch, it was hard not to notice the long queue outside Mr&Mrs Bartleys famous burger joint which wastightly run by the jolly couple themselves. Mr Bartley took our order outside and after a short wait, we were seated in the tiny establishment and enjoyed a feast which had us full for the day.

We continued to “Copley Square Mall” and finished the day before our first show having coffee at the charming “Boston Common” public park. The following night, my friend Gareth from home who is now living in Quincy, came to watch the show with his girlfriend and her parents. Coincidentally my Aunty Imelda was also flying into Boston airport the following day to spend time with my close relatives from Conneticut. Having spent the morning having breakfast and walking through the wonderful “Little Italy” area, I raced to the airport after our matinee show for a much needed catch up. As thoughtful as ever, Imelda surprised me with some treats from home including homemade wheaten bread. I had a lovely time with them all before returning to Boston Opera House for the last of our shows there.

Leaving the big city behind, we continued to the much smaller town of Buffalo, NY which was just a stopover enroute to Canada for our next show on Tuesday. After a rather long bus journey, we had a lovely evening off there enjoying some thai food, finished off with a beautiful desert next door at an interesting “Chocolate Martini Bar”. On our journey to London, Ontario the following day, I was just dosing off when I heard some commotion on the bus and was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful sight of none other than “Niagara Falls”! Stopping for lunch there was surreal and it was back to Canada with a bang for a further two week stint.

I was overly excited about our imminent stay in Toronto on Thursday and as expected I loved it from the moment we arrived. On first impressions, the city is representative of a much stronger Canadian economy. The streets are alive with business people and tourists alike and the many eateries and bars are packed daily. We spent our first day on Queen Street where we enjoyed a beautiful breakfast on “Cafe Niche”‘s terrace and delved into the many shops ranging from quirky boutiques to high-street stores. “Queen Street” had so much to offer that I returned on our second day spending the majority of my day relaxing in “Chococrepe” catching up with people at home on my computer over some delicious crepes and coffee.

Meanwhile, our male troupe had an early start as they performed live on Canada’s largest TV show, Canada AM. Their PR duties must have paid off as the audiences in Toronto were the most memorable of the tour with a whopping near 10,000 people attending our shows!

All in all, Toronto surpassed my expectations and to finish a great trip, once again I met with some familiar faces from home at “Sweaty Bettys” – a little dive bar which I later discovered to be Drew Barrymore’s favourite bar in Toronto.

Read this on the Riverdance website: Boston to Toronto