NEWPORT NEWS — “Riverdance,” the iconic Irish dance show that has captivated thousands over the years, will make a stop in Newport News during its 30th anniversary tour.
WYDaily recently sat down with Anna Mai Fitzpatrick, a lead dancer on the tour, to learn more about the show.
The original “Riverdance” was a seven-minute intermission act during the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin. It was performed by Michael Flatley and Jean Butler and showcased traditional Irish dance with modern music. After its success at Eurovision, it premiered as a full-length stage show in 1995.
Now, 30 years later, “Riverdance: The Next Generation” will take the stage.
Fitzpatrick, who has been dancing since she was a little girl, joined the cast of Riverdance eight years ago.
“It’s absolutely incredible to be involved with this. It’s a dream for so many people. When I first joined the show, you are just like a sponge. You try to absorb everything that is going on around you and get used to the environment. Once you settle in, you learn all the things within the company. You learn to be creative, how to be a team player, all those things you might not necessarily think when you originally get cast in the show,” Fitzpatrick says.
Fitzpatrick’s brother, Fergus, is also in the cast.
The 30th anniversary performance will still feature the dancing that “Riverdance” fans have come to expect, but the show will also shine a light on what the last 30 years of the show have been about.
“The show was created before myself and my brother were born. We’ve only known life with ‘Riverdance,’ we’ve grown up with it and the legacy that it’s become. There is an incredible team of creatives there, their brains are phenomenal. Through 30 years, they have been able to keep up with the times, while keeping ‘Riverdance’ the timeless … feeling that you get at its core when people come watch the show. It takes a lot of talent and a lot of evolving,” Fitzpatrick shared.
Fitzpatrick who has performed with the tour in China, Dubai, the U.K. and the U.S., is excited to bring the show to both first-time viewers and long-time fans of “Riverdance.”
“We feel like we’re ambassadors for Ireland, and we get to spread Irish dance and culture and joy and bring happiness to people. It’s what we’ve grown up around, and it’s hopefully what we’ll provide to the next generation because they will hopefully be the ones to bring it along 30 more years,” Fitzpatrick said.
“Riverdance: The Next Generation” will take to the stage at the Ferguson Center for the Arts on June 25. Tickets and more information are available through fergusoncenter.org.