Read this on the Riverdance website: Video: Riverdance on Center Stage on CCTV

As a special thank you for the efforts of our Riverdance Record Breakers from overseas, we have a 3-Day Dublin Pass worth €65 to give away to every 20th overseas participant who registers. With your Dublin Pass you’ll be able to make the most of your visit in July with free entrance to over 30 top visitor attractions, transport from the airport to the city and 24 exclusive special offers in entertainment, dining and tour venues. Check it all out at www.dublinpass.ie

So come on everyone thinking of making the trip to Ireland in July, Register now for the World Record attempt to be in with a chance to win!”

Read this on the Riverdance website: Special thank you for Riverdance Record Breakers!

No doubt these guys ‘drove’ the BMW clients wild with excitement!

Have a look at some of the images from the event below.

Big event today in Shanghai for @riverdance and @bmwgroup. This is the car I get to arrive in… twitter.com/PadraicMoyles/…

— Padraic Moyles(@PadraicMoyles) April 15, 2013

Riverdance Flying Squad Rehearsals

Riverdance Flying Squad Rehearsals

The lads of @riverdance just before we took to the stage in Shanghai. @bmwgroup @julianerskinerd #dance twitter.com/PadraicMoyles/…

— Padraic Moyles(@PadraicMoyles) April 15, 2013

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance Flying Squad visit Shanghai

AUDITION

Riverdance, the international dance-show phenomenon is holding auditions for Male and Female Russian Folk Dancers for its upcoming Dublin and European tours.

Applicants should be classically trained Russian Folk dancers and will be required to demonstrate considerable strength, style and skill and be physically prepared for 8 shows a week touring for extended periods.

For more information or if you wish to submit an audition video/cv/pics please contact jerskine@riverdance.com ASAP.

Videos of our choreography:

Read this on the Riverdance website: Auditions for Russian Folk Dancers

Dubliner Niamh O’Connor holds the record for performing with Riverdance the longest; she’s been touring with the famous show since the day it premiered in the capital city in 1995. This July, Niamh will (hopefully) be part of another Riverdance record and this time, she’s inviting you along.

As part of Riverdance – The Gathering,  people – yes, that means you too – can put on their dancing shoes, line up along the banks of the River Liffey in Dublin and attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the Longest Riverdance Line, which was set in Nashville, USA, with 652 dancers.

All you have to do is learn a few simple steps and you can join Niamh, her husband Padraic Moyles – one of Riverdance’s principal male dancers – and other stars from the show in attempting to break the record on 21 July. And if you’re not up for step dancing along the quays, you’re of course welcome to cheer on the others for what is sure to be a fun and historic day.

The record attempt is just one part of an exciting week of events for Riverdance – The Gathering. There will be a free family fun day at Merrion Square on 20 July, with face-painting  bouncy castles, food and plenty of music and dance. The day includes Riverdance – The Gathering Ceílí, led by the show’s dancers and musicians. Then it concludes with a special live performance by the cream of Riverdance musicians playing to a big-screen backdrop of the show’s highlights taken from recordings of in Dublin, New York, Geneva, and Beijing over its long history.

As for Niamh, she’s particularly looking forward to the Gathering’s series of Masterclasses, some of which she will teach. “Riverdance have never done this before, so it’s an opportunity for other dancers to come and learn what we’ve learnt over the years and hopefully someday they will get to dance in Riverdance,” she says.

“So, that’s what I’m most excited about,” she adds, “but of course it’s going to be great craic at the weekend in Merrion Square. And if we break the record with the line, I haven’t been part of one of those before, so that’s another tick on my checklist as well.”

Over the last 18 years, Niamh has travelled the world with Riverdance, performing throughout the US, Canada, Europe, South America and most recently, China. “Every tour, every night, it’s a different audience,” she says of her experience with the show. “It changes like that, so it’s not the same show. Maybe physically it is, but there are so many other elements that come into it.”

Though Niamh says she loves touring and bringing Irish dancing to people around the world, she always looks forward to coming back home and has performed in Dublin many times. The events of Riverdance – The Gathering are particularly special for her and husband Padraic Moyles, who was born in Ireland but moved to America with his family as a child.

“To be part of The Gathering, and especially Riverdance having this week, it’s very close to me and Padraic,” she explains.“They emigrated when he was eight to New York. All of his family are coming home to take part in these events, as with a lot of families that we know that are coming. So, we’re very glad to be part of it – to teach people about Riverdance, to show them, and just to give them that knowledge that you might never, ever get again. I’m glad that I’m part of that.”

Riverdance – The Gathering is taking place in Dublin from 15 to 21 July.

Applications to be part of Riverdance – The Gathering Masterclass Series close on Friday 31 May Apply online for a place in this first-ever series or email masterclassgathering@riverdance.com.

If you’d like to participate in Riverdance – The Gathering World Record –  register your interest online or email recordgathering@riverdance.com.

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance – The Gathering comes to Dublin this July

Riverdance performers at Brian O’Driscoll’s Testimonial

Riverdance were delighted and honoured to have been part of a testimonial dinner for rugby star Brian O’Driscoll at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on 18th March.

Prince William was one of the 2,000 A-list guests from the worlds of sport, music, entertainment and business who gathered in the luxury Grosvenor Hotel for the special night in honour of Irelands greatest ever rugby player.

Other guests on the night included Michael Fassbender, Niall Horan from One Direction, Paul McGuinness, Bono and The Script singer Danny O’Donoghue. Also attending were Brian’s teammates including Johnny Sexton, Rob Kearney, Cian Healy, Shane Horgan and Jamie Heaslip.

Patrick Kielty was MC and the other act performing was award-winning Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sande.

Julian Erskine, Riverdance senior executive producer, said “The night was really good for us. When we were asked months ago we were delighted and honoured and thrilled.

“To be involved in anything Irish and representing a cultural icon abroad made us very proud and happy to be here

“Being a couple of feet away from Prince William, Brian, Amy and Bono on the top table made it even more special”

Riverdance performer Padraic Moyles said that “Brian stood talking to all of us and said he was so grateful. And Bono said he absolutely loved our performance”.

Rierdance Performers Deidre Dowling, Michael Maguire and Ellie Maguire at Brian O’Driscoll’s Testimonial

Riverdance leads Alana Mallon and Padraic Moyles at Brian O’Driscoll’s Testimonial

Riverdance performers Michael Maguire & Deidre Dowling with Brian O’Driscoll

Riverdancers Deidre Dowling & Ellie Maguire with One Direction’s Niall Horan

Some of the Riverdance cast with Bono!

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance performs at testimonial for rugby star Brian O’Driscoll in London

The Riverdance 20^th Anniversary Tour will visit 16 venues across the UK from September 2014.  Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by phone on 0800 656 8876 or online at www.livenation.co.uk.  With an incredible two decades of global success since the show first burst into the public’s heart at the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin in 1994, this is an unmissable chance for UK audiences to reconnect with what the Irish Times rightly described as “The Original…The Best”.  The Washington Post exclaimed, “Its continued popularity proves that it was, and remains, a phenomenon of historic proportions!”

Alana Mallon and Padraic Moyles

Read this on the Riverdance website: Riverdance team up with ‘Ant & Dec’s Saturday Takeaway’

This 20th Anniversary UK Tour, gives Riverdance fans old and new, the opportunity to celebrate an incredible milestone for an incredible show. Twenty years after it took its first steps, a truly phenomenal piece of theatrical entertainment is back by popular demand. Don’t miss this anniversary tour!

RIVERDANCE UK TOUR DATES 2014

SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilions
Tuesday 2 – Sunday 7 September 2014

IPSWICH Regent
Tuesday 9 – Sunday 14 Sept 2014

BOURNEMOUTH BIC
Tuesday 16 – Sunday 21 Sept 2014

BIRMINGHAM NIA
Tuesday 23 – Thursday 25 September 2014

CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
Friday 26 – Sunday 28 September 2014

BRISTOL Hippodrome
Tuesday 30 Sept – Sunday 5 Oct 2014

MANCHESTER Opera House
Tuesday 7 – Sunday 12 Oct 2014

BRADFORD Alhambra
Tuesday 14 – Sunday 19 Oct 2014

BLACKPOOL Opera House
Tuesday 21 – Sunday 26 Oct 2014

LIVERPOOL Empire
Tuesday 28 Oct – Sunday 2 Nov 2014

EDINBURGH Playhouse
Tuesday 4 – Sunday 9 Nov 2014

SUNDERLAND Empire
Monday 10 – Saturday 15 Nov 2014

NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall
Tuesday 18 – Sunday 23 Nov 2014

OXFORD New Theatre
Tuesday 25 – Sunday 30 Nov 2014

SOUTHAMPTON Mayflower
Monday 1 – Saturday 6 Dec 2014

LONDON Hammersmith Apollo
Wednesday 10 – Saturday 13 Dec 2014

Read this on the Riverdance website: UK 2014 – The 20th Anniversary Tour

On the road; one suitcase, one carry on. So what do we pack and how do we manage to squeeze it all in? Well, here in Riverdance we are forced to condense all our favorites and essentials into one small bag. So when we do it, we do it good. I have once again picked several cast and crew members to pour their hearts out and divulge their most personal item which they feel they cannot live without.

The Irish Times App:

Moving rapidly with the times our very own Production Manager, Brendan McLoughlin swears by the Irish Times App on his iPad Mini. This way Brendan can stay informed with local news from home and abroad. He checks scores on gaelic football and hurling as he is a strong GAA fan. Being in China for several months means one can go weeks without finding or reading an english text newspaper. He can pass the time on travel days waiting at airports or on bus journeys with his favorite app.

Brendan McLoughlin reads the Irish Times between his busy hectic schedule.

Dear Diary:

Our wonderful cultural liaison, Lindsey Newhall who has been a part of the Riverdance company since 2009 is never to be found without her hardback diary. Be it sitting in traffic in the middle of Beijing, between load in and curtain call or simply on downtime in her hotel, Lindsey keeps track of daily life here on the road in China. These are but a few of the things she notes in her diary:
Places visited
To do lists
Memories
Rumors
Jokes
As Lynsey will be continuing on to Thailand from Beijing, I’m sure she will encounter many more memories along the way, however none as beautiful as those with Riverdance. We wish her all the best. No doubt her diary will continue with her along her travels.

Lindsey noting the day’s excitement on her hammock!

Maggie! Maggie!

Miss Darlington would sleep in her leg warmers if she could get away with it! I’m surprised she doesn’t have a pet name for them. Not to be seen for a minute back stage without them on, she swears by them. ” It’s important to keep your body warm between dances backstage.” We have been relatively fortunate on this Moy tour to have performed in newly built theaters with suffice heating. However between harsh winter temperatures and unpredictable heating arrangements it can be become difficult to stay limber while offstage in Chinese theaters.

Maggie Darlington stretches

A Samsung obsession:

Our very own Medical Officer, Garrett Dockery has been so kind to pose for me and my blog to let all the readers know what his secret tour obsession is and what he simply cannot live without. “My Samsung:…. If I lost my wallet, it wouldn’t bother me half as much as it would if I lost this,” he claims! His ‘man toy’ is a kindle, a music player, a mobile phone and he can watch TV shows or movies on long bus rides between cities on tour. “It is my link to the outside world, and my wife of course!”

Read this on the Riverdance website: What I cannot live without: Life on tour in China

As this tour approaches the end, my sightseeing days increasingly fill with awe-inspiring moments. For my final blog there is one common theme, grand and impressive scale.

During our time in Wuxi many of us took a trip out to see the Lingshan Buddha.

A peaceful walk in the company of friends and under the shadow of an immense Buddha inspired many photos. However, I’ve chosen just one to share with you. Looking up at this eighty-eight meter colossus I crooked my neck at a severe angle and stared up at two friends peering down at me. Lauren and Ben peek out from the foot of the Buddha and express the human to statue ratio.

In Changzhou, on a walk to find food, we noticed a multi-storied pagoda emerging from a hazy sky.  Curiosity led us into ornately decorated temple grounds and in front of a very impressive structure.  In this image a pillar carved with dragons and sea creatures is in focus as the pagoda rises behind it into the white sky.  I have visited a few temples on this tour but this one really impressed me with its ornamentation.

Next we move on the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Equally as stunning, this main structure and the many buildings surrounding it possess a regal quality. I’ve included two images of The Temple of Heaven. In the closer image you get an idea of the decorative exterior, while in the second there is more of a sense of the imperial and ceremonial space.

Moving onto one of the most memorable moments on tour, a visit to the Great Wall of China in Mutianyu. We were extremely lucky to visit the day after Chinese New Year celebrations since we experienced an un-crowded and sunny trip to this magnificent “Wonder of the World”.

In my first photo Maggie Darlington and Jason O’Neill climb up a sea of steps as the wall and its snow covered surroundings bend and twist behind them. In my second image, a man stands on the wall’s undulating surface with his back facing the viewer. What attracted me to this image was the way the wall and the mountains mimic each other ‘s shapes as they layer upon each other into the background.

In order to “go out with a bang” my last image is of some the brightly colored fireworks outside our hotel in Beijing on Chinese New Year.  In this image smoke and color fill the night sky as shadowy figures look up at the dazzling display.  What can never truly be expressed in this image is exhilarating sensory experience of being so close to so many fireworks exploding all at once.

This has been a wonderful tour of China and I hope you have enjoyed my visual documentation of this colorful, diverse and welcoming country.

Read this on the Riverdance website: My final photo blog from China