‘Riverdance’
They’ve danced in Red Square, on the Great Wall of China and in Radio City Music Hall. And now Riverdance, the 13-year-old phenom that started as a seven-minute Irish dance segment on a 1994 TV show, is in town on its farewell tour, performing through January 10 at San Diego Civic Theatre.
They made their name with first lead dancer Michael Flatley’s choreography, and endeared themselves to worldwide audiences with that intricate, high-energy, high-steppin’ line dancing that is like no other.
Over the years, the program has changed and they’ve added dance styles from other national traditions: Rocio Montoya dances flamenco (Riverdance style); six Russian dancers demonstrate their gravity-defying physicality; and there’s a segment from American folk dance tradition reminiscent of Aaron Copland.
But my favorite is a dance-off between three Irish dancers (Liam Ayres, Brian Mullane and Marcus Maloney) and two spectacular African-American tap dancers (Jason E. Bernard and Kelly Isaac). Here you’ll see higher kicks than humanly possible, footwork no mere mortal could hope to attempt, even the splits.
There are a few choral numbers and a wonderful soprano soloist named Laura Yanez, and the whole is loosely held together by a fairly lame poetic narration delivered by John Kavanagh (“It is all one journey from one land to the next, one life to another.”)
The farewell tour of 'Riverdance' plays through Jan. 10 at San Diego Civic Theatre.
There are bright costumes, a fine lighting design by Rupert Murray, illuminating back projections and an excellent band (standouts are Declan Masterson on pipes, Pat Mangan on fiddle and Daniel Dorrance on saxophone).
But let’s face it, everyone’s there for the dancing, and it doesn’t disappoint. This may be your last chance to see the flying feet of Riverdance.
Riverdance plays through January 10, 2010 at San Diego Civic Theatre. Remaining shows Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 1 and 6 p.m. For tickets call (619) 570-1100 or Ticketmaster (800) 982-2787.
