Riverdance Final Performancel Reaction 

Just wonderful. I'm crying! I saw it on Broadway in New York 1997. I was blown away by the dancing music but all the stage they used. That woman in video is the one I will always love the most.

He paid the price for his efforts! Like flamingo dancers the toll it takes on the body is unbelievable! It is no tap dancing! He took Celtic dancing and put his own spin on it! Over the years he broke numerous bones in his feet and legs because of the force exerted. He didn’t retire just because of age but from the damage he had done to himself!

Brought Irish dance to the masses in an updated and fun way. Saw it live in London, cried - was the best thing I'd ever seen. Loved that people wanted to dance after it.

The entire 2 hours performance of Riverdance was incredible. It was on cable at one point for a month and every time it was on my mom made me watch it with her. She absolutely loved them. She passed a few years ago and this made me remember sitting there in the living room and watching this with her and how much she loved it. Thanks for the memories this brought back.

My daughter was in love with this video when it first came out, and we watched the whole thing many times. I still love watching it, this never gets old.

The British actor, Sean McGuire, who's pretty well known in the USA for TV shows, was a childhood Irish Dance champion!

This was just one act from the entire performance. Riverdance told the story of what it is to emigrate from your culture, in this case Irish, and become an immigrant in another culture....trying both to retain a sense of who you have been while at the same time becoming open to a new unexplored self. In one scene there is a dance off between the Irish dancers and a group of American street dancers they come upon in New York City. At first the dancers are competitive in an adversarial way....but by the end of the dance they have come to respect each other's moves, finally dancing together because they realize they have more in common than they do in difference.

Just to add a note, I was hoping to go back stage a d get autographs. My brother in law knew the stage manager. But the cast left right afterwards and split up to go to local hospitals and perform for patients.

thank you for this! Irish dancing is something I grew up with...and it really is cool!

Certain styles of Irish dance were outlawed or frowned upon by the English tyrants when they still ruled prior to the split of Northern and Republic of Ireland. The west of Ireland and other remote areas kept the traditions of dance, Gaelic language alive since fewer English lived and controlled those regions. Recommend you check out the Williams brothers or Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. Both pairs had phenomenal foot work and timing. Williams brothers will leave you in awe.

Bro your forehead was shining more and more. I just knew you was waaaaaay in it. I've watched this 20+ times. AMAZING!!!!

I never saw Riverdance, but I did get to see Lord of the Dance when it came to San Antonio - - it, too, was absolutely spectacular!

Your right, the amount of training and focus is incredible! How do they breath? Wow

I saw them at TPAC in Nashville. It was phenomenal. Loved it.

If you search Riverdance and special Olympics they had the largest river dance line ever. It was really cool

Love your channel. Jean Butler and Michael Flatley were beyond belief.

This was Michael Flatley - he left Riverdance and created a whole "story" version called "Lord of the Dance". I never saw this one, but it's VERY similar to how Lord of the Dance ends. Here's the LOTD finale, if you want to check it out (but the whole thing is well worth seeing): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jjxTTjJtXDA.html

Awesome! Imagine what breath control that takes.

I've always wanted to go see the Riverdance at least once. Rather impressive

I'm going this year 2020 to see this in their 25 th anniversary show in Edinburgh Scotland.

The male star, michael flatley, was kicked out beacuse of artistic disagreements. he is american and renewed this dancestile. So he succeded to greate a show of his own - the lord of dance - and made a huge success and toured the world for many, many years.

At one point after initially watching this, I wondered just how many calories they have to consume in a day when practicing and performing... all the energy that would take!

Great choice! I haven't seen that in a while. There is an incredible back story to that particular video (If I am not mistaken). I Believe that this is the performance she did with stress fractures in one of her feet! She literally arrived at the show on crutches! (I used to have both Videos, it was in the behind the scenes footage of one of them, I believe this is the one). Michael Flatley's best performance that I have seen, was Lord of the Dance at Hyde Park London. That one was much less artistically restrained, I thought it was a much better production and had more energy..

I saw them live. If i had the talent of their shoes i would be able to dance

Mr Smith : " Riverdance " is Irish Dance, now modernized. -------------------------WolfSky9

There is an Irish singing group called Celtic Thunder. Some of my favorites of theirs are Ireland’s call, and all God’s creatures have a place in the choir !

I think he can tap his feet 36 times a second, its in the Guinness book of records, unreal speed

Interesting...had my head bobbing and weaving with the tap. Ty you always have jokes. Love it. 😂

Michael Flatley and Julie Butler, two of the best Irish drancers of all time

While this is derived from the Irish jig, it is not traditional. Traditional Irish jigs are done straight back, and arms straight at the side. Some instructors will make their students hold stones in their hands to make them keep their hands in a fist. It is extremely difficult to dance in the position of a traditional jig, and keep perfect balance.

It's called the Irish Step, and it has to be perfect, everyone has to do it perfectly, if one person is off, the whole thing is screwed. What gets me is the Jean Butler's ankles going side to side, bouncing. Personally, I prefer the Radio City Music Hall performance, Colin Dunne is the lead male dancer, Jean Butler the female lead, but there is a sequence with two young black fellows, Tarik Winston and Daniel B. Wooten, that is AWESOME! Look for it.

For some good tap dance fun try watching anything from STOMP ...they wil keep you so amused...I've seen them live three times now and eveything they were different

Huge Michael Flatley fan here. If you think this was awesome.. PLEASE check out/react to Michael’s 1999 Feet of Flames final solo demonstration and grand finale! It was recorded at Hyde Park in London. Warning: Be prepared to pee your pants!😁😎

While watch the Irish dance, think of a horse prancing.

That is a traditional Irish dance 💚❤️

If you'd like to watch Flatley at his best, watch "Lord of the Dance".

Lord of the Dance is awesome as well!

you should find out the origin of that type of Irish dancing with the feet only. not arm movements. Although Michael Flatley expanded it a bit. Great art. Glad you enjoyed it so much

Riverdance is still touring. Without Michael Flatly of course.......but I'm sure it is still amazing.

Amazing.

Awesome.

Are you familiar with Stromae? Absolute genius, his music videos and shows are spectaclar

I think you will find "a Deck of Cards" by Tex Ritter interesting

Unusual pick but very interesting. A side of culture missed by many of us. Celtic or not.

The closest thing to compare them might be figure skaters, all smile and acting while doing the choreography.

Watch this one ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-uf4uq3Rii2Q.html Here he worked with four stages built over each other. Blessed those who had tickets for that show. Oh, and btw he is in the Guinness Book of Records with 35 steps per SECOND!

There is a revised version coming, but when I am not sure.. To see the very 1st Riverdance performance you need to see the Euro-Vision of them way back in 1994 here is the link... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-w0v_pu6miJ8.html

I always thought if there's one fella who could wear a mirror out its that Michael flatly

I asked for tickets to Riverdance for my 21st bday.. I’m 42 now and it’s still one of the best nights of my life

the original Riverdance troup with Michael Flatley is still unsurpassed

That's Michael Flately and Jean Butler. They made Irish step dancing a pop culture phenomenon. Riverdance is still touring today, and has inspired Celtic thunder and Celtic woman

The athletic abilities of all the dancers is incredible. Jean Butler and Michael Flatley are in a class all by themselves.

I love ❤️ my Irish ☘️ Heritage and watching them dance makes my heart happy. I’m so happy you enjoyed this .. I would never make fun you I would love to see you do something like this one day.

See! White people can dance!😂

Michael Flatley is THE legend Fastest ever recorded feet. All of his work is out of this world.

I always thought River Dance should do a tour with TransSiberian Orchestra.

Reminds me of clogging and flat-footing from back home in Kentucky which are dances in the Appalachian mountains where my people come from, We are hugely influenced in the mountains in our dance and music by our ancestors who settled those areas, the Irish, Scots-Irish, and Scottish.

riverdance is just incredible. The lead dancer Michael was known for fast footwork. i was so glad to see you smiling and enjoying this. The whole thing is on youtube. Thank you for whoever asked for it

I still remember watching this when it was first performed as an interval act for the Eurovision Song Concert. No one expected anything like this. We were all just blown away. And yes it went on to be show that toured and May well still be touring. It never gets old.

When they did these shows around the world ( I saw it live twice) the stages were custom built above the facility's regular stage with 3/4 plywood on firring strips to allow a little flexibility to bot cushion the dancer's feet, knees and ankles as well as to allow several carefully selected PZM microphones to be placed all over the actual stage, UNDER the false stageto pick up the tapping. The entire show (this was the first) and those new ones after this show were unbelievable in the solo footwork as well as the chorus dancers'. Michael Flatley is retired now and has a hard time even walking due to all the injuries and strains he suffered as the star and choreographer of these shows over 15 years.

This is the best react I’ve seen from you. Damn you were sweating! 😅 Michael flatleys legs were insured for $1 million.

I was lucky enough to be at last performance w Michael Flatley. He started Riverdance n toured for years. I took my parents n we were in third row. It was phenomenal. So happy to see you love this as well. Look him up. He was known as “ Lord of the Dance”. Irish dancing is amazing. He tapped at 28 taps per sec. Then he apparently upped it to 35. Crazy. Great reaction

Must have been nearly 30 years when this first came to our attention. It was the interlude performance for the Eurovision song contest in Ireland. Never had heard of it before and the performance blew the world away.

Traditional Irish stop dancing is when the arms are held stiffly at their side. Michael Flatley has the record for fastest feet in tap dancing. Jean is a world renowned Irish step dancer.

The show has evolved over the years but the best version of this set-piece still is the original one done as the interval act for the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest.

Saw Michael Flatley in the original touring production of The Lord of the Dance. River Dance, The Lord of the Dance, and Feet of the Flames were gigantic in the 90s and became as synonymous with pop culture as the fight scenes in the Matrix.

I saw this on PBS 20+ years ago. They were phenomenal. They were choreographed like a well-synchronized drum line.

Many years. My daughter did competitive Irish step dance for over 10 years and earned many awards. It's huge still!

As someone of Irish ancestry 💚🍀 I loved when Riverdance was popular. I could watch it all day long. Awesome video! Thanks for playing it.

I saw an interview with Flatley and some anchorette in NYC when he was touring there. They practiced so much that he met her for breakfast (the only free time he had). She was sipping on some mocha/latte thing, he ordered (and devoured) an enormous porterhouse steak (it was well over 2 lbs) with 6 or 8 eggs on it. She was aghast at that, but when you burn 10K calories a day, you can pretty much eat whatever you want.

I went to see Riverdance some years back, I sat in the second row from the front and it was absolutely mind-blowing and you could feel that beat through your whole body. And the music was absolutely beautiful too. 👌🙏💕

My husband and I went to see the live show, fantastic, the electricity in the theater was palpable. Totally amazing!!

"The Irish jig guy? ..his legs flail about as if independent from his body!"

"His legs flail about as if independant from his body!" Points to whoever gets that reference :)

Modern Renaissance Man ....Your eyebrow choreography is on point!!

RIverdance Rocks! it has influenced much of todays dance as well.. always makes me proud to be Irish.

That was FANTASTIC, how do they dance like that without moving their arms. That would be so hard not to do

Every St Patrick's Day I play Riverdance for my Pre K students. Maybe 5 or 6 songs. They sit there MESMERIZED. I always tell them to get up and dance along. They love it.

I remember them all to well. My husband surprised me with tickets to one of their shows. The Celtic dance that they do is awesome. It is an Irish dance and if you think that was awesome you should have seen them live! I will always cherish that now that my husband has past away. It will always be a loving memory!! I loved your reaction.

I saw Riverdance Live when I lived in Florida.. it was AMAZING !

Wow, I am gonna go and find more. Good stuff...loved it.

I have not seen Riverdance for several years. I also watched this on public television right after the tour. This is a specific type of dance. It is a traditional Irish step-dancing. There is a large community with an Irish Heritage in St. Paul, Minnesota where I grew up and still live. Even when I was under 10 there were step dancing schools all over St. Paul. They start learning step dancing at 4 or 5 years old! I am 66. It has always been a part of my life but Riverdance was the kind of professional step-dancing you only saw in Ireland and the British Isles. It was and is outstanding and breathtaking!!

I love this so much! And I'm ashamed to say that I purchased tickets to go see this the end of 1990's & forgot about it. Didn't remember till an hour or so after the show had started. I was so upset! For 2 reasons. I really wanted to see it & the money spent for nothing. Lol

Watch some Celtic Woman when you get a chance, those ladies are amazing!

I went and saw them in my 20's. It was really breathtaking. You felt those sounds just vibrating off the walls. It was like you were a part of it. It had a really positive vibe.

Your reactions are priceless! Thank you! I love watching this, I had the VHS, now I need the DVD of it. It's amazing.

you have to understand how revolutionary this was..it changed irish dancing....also it was origionally the half time show when ireland held the eurovision song contest.....by the way dont listen to the eurovision just watch the 1/2 time show

Amazing!! They are so together, it sounds like one, just louder! Believe it or not, while wintering in Florida, we learned a line dance to one of their dances. Kept speeding up, it was great! 15 yrs ago and I still remember the dance. It was awesome!

I loved that show!!! It was amazing live. Thanks for reviewing this.

There's much more amazing dance of this type. Can I send you some links? Riverdance was born out of a seven minute dance piece which was supposed to be a mere interval act (for Eurovision 1994) and when it was performed, it produced the one and only occasion of an interval act eclipsing the main even. The cheer after it was performed on Eurovision was one of the loudest ever recorded. It was turned into a full stage show months later, with dance and singing from mainly Ireland, but also with dance pieces specially composed for the show from Spain, Russia and America (it covered the story of Ireland from the ancient celts and the pagan gods through to the Irish immigration to America). If you like I can send you a link to the best version of the full show and maybe, if you like, you could react to it (yes it'd be a particularly long reaction video but this particularly phenomenal show)

25 years still going strong! Just saw it a few days ago and still as amazing now as it ever has been!

Wow! That really bought back memories. When River Dance was first preformed it blew everyone away, it’s absolutely amazing. Then came Lord Of The Dance, both shows are mind blowing and something really worthwhile to watch. Really amazing productions.

I saw both this and their later show, Lord of the Dance in Oxford years ago. Two of the most amazing nights of my life. Watching them dance flawlessly for hours was incredible.

You should check out Feet of Flames. It was a performance by Michael Flatley (the dude in the white shirt) and is AMAZING!

They are awesome. Wish I could see them in person. Not the first time I've seen them in a video though.

You can actually buy/rent the entire thing filmed back when it was making it's first rounds across the country. The whole thing is incredible ♥

I had the absolute pleasure of seeing this show live in Boston, MA. Irish step dancing is extremely disciplined and takes years of practice to reach this level, only the best of the best were chosen out of thousands that auditioned. Michael Flatley demanded perfection and it showed in the performance. Great reaction Ty.

Actually, This is the FIRST performance of Riverdance broadcast by the BBC in the mid 90s. I saw Michael Flatley live in two shows- Riverdance (the original) and Lord of the Dance. The audience all left after the show hanbds with seriously sore hands from applauding so hard. Over the years he did a LOT of damage to his feet, ankles, legs hips and spine that he can hardly walk anymore.

Brought my mom to Riverdance and she moaned and groaned the whole way there because she "HATED" Irish music. She was movin' and groovin' to the beat. The performance that we saw the Irish step dancers did a three part performance with Appalachian cloggers and Afro Am. tap dancers. There was no way you could not recognize the similarities. PS! My mom was 100% Irish!

Well, now I have to go and watch ALL of their videos.........love Riverdance and the Lord of the Dance!!