If you do something you love for work, you’ll never work a day in your life – or so the old saying goes.
And Irish performer and director Michael Flatley can attest to that, as he is one of the most successful and happiest dancers in the world!
Gaining global fame through Riverdance in the ’90s, Michael, now 67, became a sensation after his performance with the dance group at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest.
He left the cast a year later and started his own highly successful Irish dance show, Lord of the Dance.
Now, as the group nears its 30th anniversary, Michael is bringing his dance troupe back to Australia, to perform a new Lord of the Dance show under his direction.
“The whole cast is buzzing for Australia – these are dreams coming true,” he exclusively tells New Idea.
Reflecting on the first time his group performed here in 1996, Michael admits he’s “never hugged so many people” in his life.
“When we landed on Australian shores for Lord of the Dance back then, there were tens of thousands of people at the airport, and I knew that God was watching. I knew that my prayers had been answered and my dream had come true,” he says of that tour’s success.
In 1998, Michael famously insured his legs for $50 million – which in fact stopped him from doing a stunt on the Sydney Harbour Bridge!
“There was a promotional idea for me to stand on the top of the bridge with my hands out, and a helicopter would fly by. But, the insurance company stopped us, so I never got to do it!” he says.
Michael reluctantly retired from dancing in 2016 after struggling with multiple injuries. He reveals that he misses it dearly.
“You dance your heart out and give everything to the audience,” he says. “When you come on stage for the last number, with that army of dancers behind you… then, the audience stands up, screaming, pounding their feet and clapping. Wow. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
“I’m buzzing just thinking about it because absolutely nothing touches being on stage.”
Even though he’s no longer dancing himself, Michael says he is beyond proud of his new cast of dancers, as “the standard now is so high”.
“I cast dancers who just come alive under the lights. My dancers don’t just want to be on stage – they need to be on stage,” he emphasises.
Smiling, he adds, “With respect to my dancers from 10 years ago, the dancers in my cast are way better now. The standard is just so high. They’re all at the top of their game and they work so hard. I’m so proud of them.”
As for what we can expect from this tour, Michael says, “the production contains dance routines that are among some of my best works yet. This show practically explodes on stage!”
Lord Of The Dance is coming to Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle and Sydney in August and September this year.
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