Riverdance Blogger Aisling McVeigh chatted with John Lonergan backstage in Adelaide, Australia about his amazing success and recent achievements.

John Lonergan on the podium at the Worlds 2012

Aisling :  You were crowned World Champion and performed with Riverdance for the very first time, all within one month. This is an amazing achievement John– how does it feel?

John :  I honestly can’t believe what I achieved and all within one month. It feels very surreal!! Winning the worlds was one thing, but to be on stage with the world’s biggest Irish dance show three weeks later was another.  It all happened so quickly, but it’s the most amazing feeling in the world.

 Aisling :  What do you find are the main differences between competitive Irish Dancing and being in a show?

John :  From the outside looking in, you wouldn’t think that there is much of a difference, but when you first join a show there are quite a few things to learn and adapt to.

Changing style from competition to show dancing didn’t come easy to me at the beginning, but I kept working hard at it knowing that it would all fall into place naturally. Step by step I’m getting there.

Definitely one thing I found hard, as do many other competitive dancers when they first make the transition into a show was, “letting the hands loose”.

Another big difference is facial expression and emotion. When competing, it’s all about your smile, whereas in a show you have to have a facial expression to reflect the emotion of each dance, which can be sometimes hard to master. But as they say “practice makes perfect”.

 Aisling :  Did you always hope to one day join a show?

John :  : Yes I did. Irish dancing became a very big part of my life from an early age. Getting into a show was all I ever wanted. So much so that I recently sacrificed a place in college, hoping that the chance to join a show would come along. There were moments when I doubted my decision, but being patient served me well, when the call from Riverdance finally came. Thankfully the blood, sweat and tears, along with the sacrifices I have made paid off, as I’m now living my dream on tour with Riverdance.

 Aisling :  What advice would you give to young aspiring dancers starting off their dancing career?

John :  My advice to any young dancers starting out would be to put your head down and work hard.

You’ll go through ups and downs throughout your career, but believe me anything is possible with self- determination and hard work. If you had asked me when I was 9 years old if I thought I would ever be lucky enough to win a World, I probably would have laughed and said “I wish”.

ALWAYS listen to your dance teacher as they’re the one with the qualification and know what’s best for you and your dancing. Their guidance combined with your hard work is what will make you the best dancer that you can be.

There will be tough times when you feel like throwing in the towel. Never give up because when you get the result you have hoped for in a competition, you’ll think back and remember that all the blisters, sweat and tears were worth it.

As you get older you will realise that there are many Irish Dancing professions if you decide that you want to make a long-term career out of it. There are shows all over the world, so make the most of your dancing and work hard to achieve your goals in competition. Then, when you feel you are ready to hang up the competitive shoes you can join a show become a Teacher or Adjudicator.

John Lonergan with his very proud parents celebrating his win at the Worlds 2012

Aisling :  There are not many dancers who have achieved 5 world titles.  What are the main factors that have led to your success?

John :  Without a doubt, the main factors of my success have been my family and teachers. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am now or half as successful.

My parents have been amazing and spent hours sitting in the studio watching me practice, giving tips and corrections.

The time my teachers have put in has also been outstanding. Without their guidance I wouldn’t be able to dance, and without my parents’ encouragement and support I wouldn’t be able to compete.

I feel self-determination is also a major factor. I’m a very competitive person so I’m always striving to better myself. I am my own biggest critic, which I think is a good trait to have as you are continuously trying to improve your performance and technique.

Aisling :  Do you find there is a lot of pressure when you are the top?

John :  For me, after I won my first Worlds, it was amazing at the time but coming back the following year to retain the title was terrifying.  The thought of people thinking my performance wasn’t good enough, or my teachers not being happy, scared me to bits. As I got older I learnt how to deal with all this pressure, as it is a lot to take being so young. Confidence is a major factor as well. You could be shaking inside, but you have to give off a confident vibe and look composed on stage.

If you believe in yourself, thinking you’re the best in the competition and that you’re going to show everyone that you are , then people will believe it, as everyone can see on stage who wants it the most, and is eager to be on the top box.

Keeping calm and having a cool head is also important, as is not letting success go to your head. Everyone is the same off stage. Just because receive good results doesn’t mean that you are better than them in any other way outside of competition, and I think it’s important for people to remember that.

Aisling McVeigh interviews John Lonergan

Aisling :  You’ve just finished your first week on the road with The Moy Company – How’s does it feel to be touring Australia and New Zealand with the world famous phenomenon?

John : Oh My God, what a week it has been. Meeting everyone was such a pleasure. The cast are all so nice and encouraging. Every single person in the whole troupe came up to me before my first show wishing me luck, saying it’ll be great and to enjoy every minute. It meant the world to me. It also really helped settle the pre-show nerves, and made the whole experience of my first “Riverdance” show, unforgettable!! It was a very special moment that I will never forget for the rest of my life.

When I finally got to dance on stage, I had to hold back a big smile because the number I was in, was one where you have to look very proud and serious. The minute I got off stage I was smiling from ear to ear, and was buzzing with joy and excitement.

Our dance captain Niamh O’Connor was so helpful, assuring us everything would be ok and there to answer any questions we had regarding any dance. It’s my second week on tour with the show now, but I still don’t feel like I’m actually in Riverdance.  It’s one of those things where I have to keep pinching myself to remind me it’s real and not a dream. I know the people on this tour will be friends for life as everyone is so genuine and down to earth. That makes such a difference, as I wasn’t intimidated by anyone, which made everything so much easier and more relaxing for me.

 Aisling :  Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

John :  I hope to continue touring with the show and sit the TCRG exams so one day I can open my own school. I would also like to keep competing for as long as I can as I still have a few personal goals I’d like to achieve on the competitive front.  Eventually I’d like to become an adjudicator and pursue a long-term career in the Irish Dancing world.

Aisling :  We all miss something from home when we are on the road. Is there anything in particular you miss from home?

John :  : My friends, family and Barry’s Tea

Aisling :  What essentials are in your tour bag?

John :  : – Dancing shoes, i-phone, L’Oreal hair gel, black socks and my i-pod

Read this on the Riverdance website: Interview with John Lonergan, World Champion

Mark Alfred Percusion Riverdance Farewell Tour St Louis

After over 15 years of touring the US, Riverdance has truly become a household name. When someone sees Irish dancing, it is most likely the first thing that comes to their head. But as they say, all good things must come to an end. Last night at the Fabulous Fox Theatre marked the start of the Riverdance Farewell tour in St. Louis.

I have always been a fan of dance, but somehow avoided ever seeing Riverdance much to my chagrin. Sure, I’ve seen performances of the famous show on television and DVD – but never in person, and never at the Fabulous Fox. And one thing I can now say for certain is that there is nothing like seeing it live at one of the best theaters in the country. As the show starts, the beautiful Irish music fills the massive auditorium, taking us on a transformational journey to Ireland. A bright and colorful screen takes center stage for the duration of the performance, changing from scene to scene as it sets the mood and season for each breathtaking dance.

The show is a wonderful amalgamation of music, dance and song. Of course the dancing is the main attraction of the show, being called Riverdance after all, but without the rich traditional music it would be nowhere near as impactful.

The band is comprised of only 5 musicians, but their talent is relentless as each of them resonates powerful and rich music through multiple instruments. Much credit should be given to Declan Masterson, who plays the keyboard and acts as musical director for the show.  Each song sets the scene for the dance that follows, and sends the kind of feeling through your body that powerful music tends to do.  Matt Bashford, who plays a beautiful rendition of “Caoineadh Chu Chulainn” on the Uilleann Pipes, also plays the low whistle and tin whistle.  Niamh Ní Charra plays the fiddle, having a couple of solo performances that are truly outstanding, while Dave McGauran plays the saxophone during the show. Last but not least, Mark Alfred is at the helm of the percussion section and takes over the stage as he plays every drum, symbol and chime. His drum kit seems endless as sound after sound emanates from his side of the stage.  He also has an incredible solo session with the Bodhrán, a round Irish frame drum, where you wouldn’t believe the magnitude and range of sound that comes out of it.

As impressive as the music of the show is, the singing is just as wonderful.  Songs like “The Heart’s Cry” and “Cloudsong” are so heart-touching and beautiful that you just can’t help but to feel the emotion in the air.  The lead vocalist from the Irish Dance Troupe, who I believe was Aisling Drennan, was phenomenal. Every note left her mouth with what seemed to be perfection and ease. I have heard many versions of the songs from Riverdance, but none of them were sung as beautifully as I heard them last night. All of the male and female singers harmonized together so perfectly for each song, transforming their voices into their own rich instruments.

Alana Mallon. Lead Dancer

The lead male and female dancers, James Greenan and Alana Mallon, were both superb. Neither of them ever missed a step as they meticulously hit every note that resonated from their shoes hitting the stage.  James has to have some of the fastest legs I have ever seen, and proves it during a “dance-off” so to speak with two less-traditional tappers: Benjamin Mapp & Jason E. Bernard.  Mapp and Bernard furiously hold their own as they dance in a free style version of tap, and it is quite a site to see. Alana Mallon dances beautifully throughout the performance, and commands the lead with her presence.

Marita Martinez-Rey dances Flamenco and does a brilliant job during the “Firedance” and “Andalucia,” two solo performances.  Her fire-colored dresses wave through the air like flames as they match the fiery background and music during the dances.

If you have never seen Riverdance before, don’t miss your last chance to see it on tour.  I am certainly glad that I was able to see it.  The show is full of so much energy and passion, and you can tell that these dancers are among the best of the best. Every step is in perfect unison, as it partners with the lively music and song.  It’s different than any other show you’ve seen before, and if you love dance, I’m sure that it will not dissappoint.

Read this on the Riverdance website: Farewell Riverdance, you will be missed

Fiona McCabe, Irish Dance Troupe, Shannon Company

City Update

My delicious Quebecois version of le croque monsieur brunch

Quebec City, QC: A beautiful, historic city that delighted me in every aspect but I was not sad to leave behind a city where they STILL have winter in April! Highlights included early morning swims in the rooftop outdoor heated swimming pool and dining at the ‘Restaurant Le Retro’ bistro in the oldtown to taste the homemade assortment of local pates and seafood chicken pie. A brunch consisting of croque-monsieur on Friday afternoon gave a nice kick start to my day.

Saguenay, QC and Ottawa, ON: With over 800 kilometers of traveling over 2 days, we were restricted to day-time exploring in these lovely cities. I was looking forward to spending some time observing the history of the city of Ottawa (formerly known as Bytown) which was founded in 1827 by Colonel John By. Next time I suppose!

Bangor, ME: I was psyched to learn that our medical officer, Chris Barbour had the pleasure of driving past famous author (and my favorite writer), Steven King’s house- One of several of his properties which stood very close to out hotel on Odlin road. We wowed the Bangor audience after a record 11 hours and 25 minute travel day from Ottawa.

Glens Falls, NY: The Shannon enjoyed some breathtaking scenery as we drove via Woodstock, It gave it’s name to the famous music festival in 1969 which was located a mere 69 miles away. Former troupe dancer, Lexa Hickey payed us all a nice visit with her dance students.

Fiona McCabe with Dr. Pearce Lyons (President and founder of Alltech) and his wife, Mrs. Deirdre Lyons. Both Irish born, Dr. and Mrs. Lyons founded Alltech in 1982. Their headquarters is located in Lexington, KY was founded in 1982.

Richmond, KY: Our fist flight of the tour! Richmond saw us two well-earned, consecutive days off which we spent soaking up the beautiful southern weather in Lexington. Spirits were high as we were performing so close to the world-famous Kentucky Derby due to begin that weekend.

Knoxville, TN:  The beautiful, sunny weather continued as did celebrations for Cinco de Mayo which commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over France in 1862 at the Battle of Puebla. Live music and craft stalls near Summit Hill Drive marked the famous fifth day of May.

Salem, VA:  We put our minds to the test with a general knowledge team quiz with some of the members from the band and the tappers at Buffalo Wild Wings. Go ‘Team Cidona’!

Wilkes-Barre, PA: Our old loyal friend and tour masseuse, Tony Clark comes to visit from the nearby town of Scranton. Always missed Tony!

Greensburg, VA: Dance captain, Maeve Croke celebrates her birthday in style at a wine- tasting party in the Ramada Hotel organised by several of the dancers. Happy birthday again Maeve!

Billy Kanally and his brother, Bobby at King's Pats having the famous Philly Cheese Steak in Downtown Philadelphia.

Philadelphia, PA:  The weekend finally arrives and we lap up our free time . Some embrace the touristy side of things and do the famous run up the Rocky steps. Some pay a visit to the renowned King Pat’s to taste the famous Philly Cheese Steak

I, on the other hand was lucky to visit my Philadelphia relations on Sunday morning and gobbled down some an authentic Irish breakfast fry

My Irish 'fry' - breakfast

Read this on the Riverdance website: Quebec to Philadelphia via 10 cities

Brian Shinners and Shane Cummins with their favourite 'thing'!

What is the one thing in this world that you simply cannot live without? We all have it, whether we live on our own or sharing with messy roommates.  When I say one ‘thing’ I mean something material. Being on tour is difficult when we’re limited to two small suitcases so of course you can imagine it’s hard to pick and pack just one favorite item. So I’ll go first: my set of illuminous green earplugs and leopard print fleece blanket! The ear plugs are a must believe me.  So what’s yours? Be it in the deep south by the Bayou or within snow drift in Saguenay, we all love our comforts behind closed doors. What can you simply not do without? What do you reach for in the dead of the night when you cannot sleep? I chose a few troupe dancers at random and interviewed them on their favorite item.

Brian bought his new iphone 4 when he came over to the States at the beginning of this tour. ” I just can’t do without it”, he claims. When I ask them what they use it for mostly, they explain to me how they have the ‘Viber’ app. This allows them to make calls for free to other ‘Viber’ users. ” It’s a great way of staying in touch with my family back in Ireland.” Shane, who has had his iphone a little longer says it never leaves his side. Brian joins in, giggling saying “it’s all he does” while waiting around to dance onstage! Like Brian and Shane, many others in the company have joined them in playing online scrabble or better known as ‘Words with Friends’ . I guess we’re the new age iphone- generation.

Dancer Jesse Baffa with her Burt's Bee's chap stick

I continue my roaming backstage and spy on Jesse Baffa who is sitting in our dressing room ferociously searching through her make-up bag. “Found it”, she cries! She finally seems less distracted and is happy to answer my questions. I seemed to have caught her in the nick of time after explaining the reason for my interview she was searching for that very ‘thing’. Always carrying it with her wherever she goes, be it on the bus on a long travel day or first thing she reaches for in the morning. It’s Burt’s Bee’s lip balm for Jesse. She recalls purchasing it at a lunch stop several weeks ago at a Cracker Barrel family restaurant; “They sell is everywhere!”

Stephen Brennan with his hair straightener

My questioning takes me to the male dressing room a floor above ours where I find Stephen Brennan patiently waiting for a hair iron to heat up. “Is that yours?!” I ask? Stephen grins at me and replies gesturing to the hair iron “You don’t think I look this good everyday without these?!” I have seen it all!

Style File
Fiona wears:

• - Cream trench coat with waist belt ( Zara, Boston),
• - Multi colored silk headscarf ( A gift! ),
• - Black cashmere mix cardigan ( Lululemon Athletica, Boston),
• - Silver, crystal earrings ( A Christmas gift from my college friend),
• - Gold, St. Christopher pendant and chain ( A gift from my mum)

I treated myself to this trench coat while in Boston. I have a slight minor obsession with coat and jackets- A mere six days later I purchased a vintage Burberry trench coat! It is ideal for travels to and from the theatre when I feel like getting out of my casual day clothes. It is perfect for the current weather we have at the moment. It is summertime after all!

Read this on the Riverdance website: What Riverdancers cannot live without!

Kane Young www.themercury.com.au

Riverdance- Maria Buffini and Padraic Moyles perform in Hobart Photo: Kim Eiszele

Thousands of Tasmanians are tapping in to the power and grace of Riverdance, which made its long-awaited return to Hobart last night.

After thrilling millions of people over the past 17 years, the celebration of Irish music and dance is touring Australia for the last time.

When Riverdance last visited Hobart in 1998 it sold more than 16,600 tickets in two hours, an Australian record for the show.

The production rolled back into Hobart on Tuesday, with the touring party including 24 Irish dancers, two tap dancers from the US, a Spanish flamenco dancer, a four-piece band, 15 backstage crew and three shipping containers of equipment.

The task of wrangling the cast, crew and gear falls to company manager Laurie Small, who said “ We may yet see a ‘‘revitalised and revamped’’ version of the show. ‘‘It has been a very successful format that has worked very well,’’ he said. ‘‘We find that although we’re doing a farewell tour in one place, another market opens up somewhere else – we’re now very popular in China, and we’re also off to South America for the first time. ‘‘So while it’s a farewell tour here, it’s still going on in other places.’’

The Riverdance Farewell Tour is on at the Derwent Entertainment Centre at 8pm on 10th and 11th May and 2pm and 8pm Saturday 12th May and 1pm and 6pm Sunday 13th May

Tickets are $65 to $130.

Phone 136100 or go to www.ticketmaster.com.au for bookings.

youngka@news.net.au

Read this on the Riverdance website: Final twirl in Tassie

13 Weeks, 55 Hotel rooms and approximately 13,600 Miles under our belt and I think it’s about time I splashed out on some good eye cream!  This past week has been the toughest so far. We accumulated 31 hours of travel over three days at the beginning of the week and on one occasion, the quiet coach broke down once more meaning we were tightly packed for an 11hr bus journey. But the show must go on and minus the tired bodies and some nasty flus creeping in, we had some great times!

Callum and Chloey before Callums first lead performance

Over the course of our few days in Cornwall, Oshawa and Peterborough, the dance troupe changed significantly with five members of the cast leaving to join the Australian/New Zealand tour. It’s always hard to say goodbye to our friends and cast changes also mean a few more rehearsals.  But it was nice to be back in a dance studio and a fine studio it was at the “Grand Theatre”, Quebec.  This was even more important for one of our new troupe members, Callum Spencer who in just a few short days after his arrival would perform male lead for the very first time.

We arrived into the all-French speaking city of Quebec on Friday and spending the weekend in this beautiful old city was a joy. Quebec is a must-see with its enchanting old buildings, most of which have been transformed into hotels, shops, restaurants etc including the impressive “Le Chateau Frontenac”. Dating back to wartimes, its hilly geography allowed the French a great viewing post for oncoming enemies. After lots of walking up these steep hills and through the Parisian-like streets, we took a load off at a local creperie and headed to bed early. On Saturday, we made a short trek to the harbour for brunch at Cafe du Monde.  Two-hour lunch breaks are not uncommon in Canada, so the restaurant was overflowing with businessmen and women enjoying the beautiful food and some even indulging in wine. Taking some inspiration, we accepted an invitation to join John Grimes’ family at their holiday home (Also the set of an Alfred Hitchcock film – I Confess some years ago) after the show that night . They put on a huge spread for everyone and we all had a wonderful evening, finished off in style at Mick Jagger’s favourite hotspot, Maurice.

Regretfully we had to say “Au Revoir” and arrived quite late the following day to the small town of Saguenay. The Théâtre du Palais Municipal was definitely unique with our backstage area host to the set of a local folk show. We were blown away by not one but four standing ovations throughout the show here, quelling any signs of pain or tiredness from some of our tougher days on tour. We paid a quick visit to the wonderful city of Ottawa and once again crossed the border, returning to USA and Bangor, Maine. We were all looking forward to our much anticipated day off on Wednesday, a travel day much different to what we’re used to as we were flying to Richmond, Kentucky. When we arrived, the warm weather (22C) was a nice change and we were spoiled that evening by our assistant company manager, Oran and production manager, Mark who offered pizza and beer for everyone at our outdoor pool. They also kindly provided a bus to take us to the mall the following day for some shopping and relaxation.

It was back to the grind on Friday and we were called in early for Callum’s review before our show. Callum did an amazing job and was even better the following day for his first lead performance at our matinee in Knoxville, Tenessee. Interestingly, he was dancing alongside Chloey Turner, who used to teach Callum when he was younger. The audience response was fantastic and Callum described it as “The best experience of my life”. Knoxville was also in celebratory form, as it was “Cinco de Miau” – a celebration held every 5th May to celebrate Mexican heritage and pride. A champagne reception was arranged by the staff at “Tenessee Theatre” after our show and it was also cast member Shane Cummin’s 22nd birthday. So with many reasons to celebrate, we moved on to the “Preservation Bar” and enjoyed the delightful sounds of a local bluegrass band – “Christabel and the Jons” to end a rather eventful week of tour.

Read this on the Riverdance website: Grand Theatre, Quebec to Cinco de Miau, Knoxville

Peta Anderson, Dancer, Irish Dance Troupe, Moy Company

Well the time has finally come, the Australia/New Zealand Riverdance tour has arrived in Oz and I am 30 minutes away from  the hotel where I will meet my fellow cast mates. It feels good that for once it’s not me with the jetlag, because as you can imagine when you fly all over the world from Australia you don’t get the shortest trips, that’s for sure.

I have to admit that it still feels surreal to be part of this amazing show. I was in rehearsals a few weeks ago with the other five newbies and the music started playing.  We all looked at each other in disbelief with our smiles going from ear to ear. What made me realise that I was involved in this major production were very small things –  like receiving my Riverdance luggage tag in the mail a few days before I left home. Obviously it doesn’t sound like a big deal but when it actually happens to you its completely different.

Riverdance 'newbies' enjoying the sun before show Newcastle

The first day of rehearsals in Newcastle  and I feel the nerves kicking in. It’s the first time that I’ve danced within the full troupe.   Niamh O’Connor, the Riverdance dance captain begins rehearsals with a great cardio and stretch followed by a lot of core work.  I’ll have abs of steel at the end this tour!

Those days before our first show flew by and then I was standing side stage for my first press call, just about to dance the number Riverdance.

Adrenalin kicked in and then I finally realised what I’m a part of and to top it off,  in my home state and country…. NSW,  Australia.

It was great to see some local Irish dancers at the press call, showing their love for the show.  The local Irish dancers were given the chance to learn part of the show from some of the talented troupe members. They danced their socks off!

The troupe with some ballet dancer fans in Newcastle

I will never forget how I felt the night after finishing my first show. It was nowhere near as daunting as I thought it would be, and I think that’s because everyone has been so welcoming and helpful. I must admit there has been a fair amount of ‘slagging’ going around as everyone gets used to the accents, especially my Aussie accent.

I’m sure after a week in Australia they won’t even notice my very posh accent…bloody oath, good on’ em!

Keeping you up to date with the Moy Company!

Peta x

Read this on the Riverdance website: A ‘newbie’ with the show

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

Aisling McVeigh,  Irish Dance Troupe,  Moy Company

Press Office

Having recently completed an internship at Edelman PR, Dublin during the downtime at home between tours, I will be assisting with the Press on the current Moy Tour.  This is an exciting new element of my role within the show. In Newcastle, we held a Master class with local dancers, who joined the cast on stage and enjoyed an Irish Dance lesson with our expert dance captain Niamh O’Connor.

Maria Buffini, Lead Dancer also visited ABC Radio Station for an interview live on-air and Peta Anderson spoke to Paula Xiberras from the Tasmanian Times.

Downtime in Newcastle
Downtime on tour is spent exploring new cities and is one of the many great perks of life on the road. Nestled in the heart of the Hunter Region is the beachside city of Newcastle. There are few cities in the world beyond Newcastle that can say their city centre is surrounded by eight beaches. With the sun still shining before the winter sets in, the cast enjoyed some sun, sea and sand this week (not something we get to do too often in Ireland!!)

Newcastle has a rich history, quirky arts culture and a thriving dining and boutique shopping scene. Darby Street is renowned for its quirky outlets and is an absolute must for anyone with a passion for good food and vintage shopping. Frankie’s on Darby Street became a popular haunt among the cast this week, famous for its funky retro interior, delicious coffee and gourmet sandwiches.

The harbour area of Honeysuckle was another popular spot among cast and crew. Boasting a chaotic but exciting scene, restaurants and chic bars line the water front where we enjoyed views of an eclectic mix of yachts, fishing boats, ferries and coal ships in the harbour.

Birthday Celebrations
Both James Keating and Siobhan Manson celebrated their Birthday this week and we all had a night out at a local bar to mark the occasion.

Upwards and Onwards

Newcastle played host to a great first week of the tour. It was a busy one, in particular for the 6 new dancers who worked very hard, yet rewarding for both cast and crew who enjoyed all the local amenities had to offer. Jason Oremus proudly got to dance for his family who travelled from Sydney to watch him. Yvonne McNelis and Siobhan Manson also had friends and family come visit. This always adds something special to a performance, knowing that you are so far from home yet have loved ones sitting so close, out front amongst the audience.
With the shoes & costumes packed away, we bid farewell to Newcastle and moving onwards we board for Hobart, Tasmania.

World Champion John Lonergan practicing his jumps on Newcastle beach

Read this on the Riverdance website: Masterclass, PR, performances and downtime in Newcastle

I spoke to the lovely Peta last week fresh from a successful performance at Newcastle as Riverdance begins its farewell tour of Australia. Peta is sad that this is being billed as the farewell tour as she would like nothing more than to be touring with this show ‘forever’.

Peta has some Irish heritage on her Mum’s side but that heritage is generations back so how did an Aussie girl get to be part of the phenomena which is Riverdance?.

It’s a long story and is in part due to Peta’s past foray into Irish dancing in a show that also came to Tassie. That show was Rhythm of the Dance. Rhythm of the Dance, although a presentation inspired by Riverdance is not representative of that show.

Peta’s journey to Riverdance included taking part in ‘Dance Off’ a reality TV program on Irish channel RTE. The program invited dancers from all over the world to send in their DVDs to be one of 35 contestants on ‘Dance Off’ and Peta’s DVD of her performance in ‘Rhythm of the dance’ saw her being among those chosen for ‘Dance Off’.The program included 5 weeks of bootcamp which literally couldn’t be a more appropriate phrase in the case of ‘Riverdance!’ Her success in ‘Dance Off’ saw her take the female lead in ‘Noctu’ a production by Riverdance alumni Breandán de Gallaí’s which dealt with the story of dancing from the viewpoint of the dancers and all their wrestling with insecurities about feared deficiencies in talent versus the desperate desire to dance.

From ‘Noctu’ it was a short step, (pardon the pun!) to joining Riverdance .

I asked Peta about the origin of Irish Dancing and it’s well known position of the dancer holding their arms stiffly by the sides. Peta confirms what I had read by some writers that the lack of upper body movement was significant at a time when the church frowned on and feared a display of such physical activity. One way lovers of dance could indulge in their passion and avoid the wrath of the church and prying eyes at their windows was holding their arms straight to their sides and thus appearing unmoved to what was visible at their windows while their feet danced up a storm unseen.

Riverdance is divided into acts, all of which tell part of the story of Ireland and it’s relationship to it’s culture. and mythology.

The first part of the performance is about pride of a people in their culture. A pride they would keep with them no matter how far they travelled from their home. And travel they did from that first enforced exodus due to nature, in this case the factor of famine. Riverdance is about that natural world and as the title says the story of a river, moving , undulating, meeting and merging with other rivers. It’s migration is a metaphor for the Irish people themselves who migrated to new lands taking the pride of their culture, music and dance with them. Also like the river picks up materials along the way, the people pick up influences from other cultures along the journey and like the river return home shaped and formed by their experience. In their travels the Irish people merged with other cultures and acquired other influences to their dance such as tap and flamenco among others and these are explored in Riverdance .

The multiculturalism evident in the show is echoed behind the scenes of the production with the make up of the cast, which includes artists from Ireland, the US, the UK, Granada and of course Australia with our very own Peta Anderson and some other talented Aussies.

Riverdance will be performing farewell shows at the Derwent Entertainment Centre from the 9 to 13 of May.

Read this on the Riverdance website: Aussie dancers triumphant return to tassie with Riverdance