Riverdance has come a long, long way since it debuted as a 7-minute interval act at the 1994 Eurovision. Twenty-five years and hundreds and hundreds of cities and venues, in fact.
The runaway hit is back on the road again, this time as the Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show, featuring a re-recorded soundtrack plus all new lighting, projections, sets, costume designs, and more. It is a breathtaking exploration of the Irish across time—from Celtic myths and the island’s first people to the bare elements, music, rhythms, famine, leaving home, new lands, distant but familiar cultures, and of course the river that runs through it all.
Taking the stage is a cast of some of the most talented, show-stopping dancers you’ll ever see—clicking, tapping, leaping, twirling, and dancing in numbers that will leave you utterly breathless. Lead dancer Maggie Darlington commands the stage—and the room—with her powerful routines. And co-lead Jason O’Neil’s feet perform the seemingly impossible with energy he appears to pull out of thin air. From Irish reels and jigs to hot Flamenco numbers and a Russian dervish, the stage is just about on fire with the heart-pounding rhythm of Irish dancing shoes.
The highlight? Trading Taps—an unforgettable and intoxicating dance-off in New York City between the newly arrived Irish dancers and the local tappers, a friendly rivalry that explodes in rat-a-tat tapping and bravado strides across the stage. You will hold your breath along with the rest of the audience.
And of course there’s Riverdance itself—the award-winning song that started the phenomenon. When the live band—who are not only the backbone of the show but also stars in their own right—begin the familiar opening notes, you remember why you’re here, how far this groundbreaking show has come, and what a treat you’re in for.
Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show is splaying at Place des Arts Sunday January 12 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Get your tickets here—but better hurry!
