Interview: Lead Dancer Jason O'Neill Talks Irish Dancing and Chicago's RIVERDANCE 20 Run

The acclaimed international tour of Riverdance 20 is calling the Windy City 'home' for a brief one-week run at the historical Cadillac Palace Theatre this April. In commemoration of the original Riverdance production's 20th anniversary, this reboot features new dance numbers, new music and an all-new, modern spectacle of artful Irish culture. The initial run, which opened first in Dublin back in 1995, successfully transported traditional Irish dance and music to millions across the globe. Today, this global sensation is spearheaded by the original Riverdance team of Moya Doherty (producer), John McColgan (director) and Bill Whelan (composer), ensuring that the heart and soul of what was created years ago is still very much alive.

"There's new lighting, new set design and a new amazing acapella number called 'Anna Livia'," says Lead Dancer Jason O'Neill, whose passion and talent for traditional dance has allowed him to perform in over 200 cities worldwide. O'Neill began dancing at the age of six and has appeared as a principal dancer in Ireland's Footstorm and Heartbeat of Home. "Elements of Riverdance are timeless and classic and the audience wants to experience that," he shares. "We've mixed the old and the new in this anniversary tour. It's still very much paying homage to the original."

With two decades of influence in cities across North America, the Riverdance phenomenon has helped to inspire mainstream Irish dancing in a number of different regions, including Chicago. The city is home to numerous Irish dance companies, making this particular pit-spot an exceptionally perfect one. "You don't have to be Irish to connect with this music," says O'Neill. "It's about culture, family, heritage and home. There's something about its expression and story that makes it incomparable. There's a reason this type of dance never goes away. Everyone can take something from it."

Although the tour blends timeless tradition and modern technology, it's the dancers' 'behind-the-scenes' work that showcases the art form's intense discipline. O'Neill and his troupe of remarkable dancers consider themselves "athletes" with a strict regime of exercise and eating correctly. "It's both a sport and art," says the dancer. "You have to continuously train your mind, body and soul." Downtime, for even the most disciplined performer, is crucial to keeping the show's high energy. "Traveling around and touring internationally is a lot of work but it's equally wonderful," O'Neill says. "A favorite location of mine has been Hawaii; I was able to try surfing. I'm also incredibly excited to spend a week in Chicago! I want to see the skyscrapers, architecture and, of course, head over to The Bean."

The production's cast of renowned, triple-threat performers are dedicated to sharing Irish song, dance and tradition with a new generation in hopes to continue the impact of Riverdance for decades to come. The Riverdance 20 company will be dancing their way from a sold-out run across Asia and Europe into Chicago's Cadillac Palace from April 5-10, 2016 as part of Broadway in Chicago's current season. For more information, click here.

Photo Credit: riverdance.com & www.bournemouthecho.co.uk

To post a comment, you must register and login.