He's 56 and readily admits that at this point he’s “long in the tooth,” but that’s not stopping dance king Michael Flatley from taking to the stage yet again to star in a new show that’s a souped-up version of his megahit Lord of the Dance.
Flatley’s latest incarnation of his show is called Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games, and his fans can expect a new experience, he says. Not only that, he’s going to perform with the cast at the London Palladium for the month of September, before the show hits the road for a world tour.
“I love it. It's who I am. It's what I do,” Flatley said at a London press event last week to launch the show.
The Chicago-born Flatley, based in Ireland and London now, admitted that many still see him as “Mr. Riverdance,” the show he starred in 20 years ago before a contract dispute forced his departure and led Flatley to create his Lord of the Dance. Michael acknowledged that Riverdance was “fabulous” when it launched, but in this day and age he thinks it’s “outdated.”
His mission in life these days is to nurture the next generation of Michael Flatleys. And stepping back – just a bit – to let the new stars shine is just fine with the man who brought Irish dance into the mainstream.
“These four young lads here could dance rings around me any day of the week, and I’m proud to unleash them on the world now,” Flatley said of his new co-stars.
Performing in London for the last time will make for a nice cap on his glittering career.
“Since I was a little boy I’ve read about the West End, I’ve always wanted to be here,” he added. “When the lights go out I’m going to be right here in the moment. This is the top of the world for me. It’s the West End.”
Comments