Interview with Riverdance Lead Melissa Convery

July 6, 2009

 

Name: Melissa Convery
Nationality: Irish

Do you have to be a champ to get into the shows?
Not necessarily, very good dancing is obviously the main factor to getting into Riverdance, but talent and dedication are also important factors.

What’s it like getting up on the stage and performing to hundreds of people?
It is the most amazing feeling you could ever have, doing a job that you absolutely love and seeing the expressions on the audiences faces. There is nothing like it!

Did your mind ever go blank and is it really pressurised?
Your mind probably goes into a different world when you are dancing on stage. It never goes blank but certainly any stresses or strains that you have certainly disappear for a few moments.

Did you always place well at the comps?
Most dancers in Riverdance usually did place well at competition but they certainly would have had to work very hard to get there! You just don´t win major championships without putting the work in!

Do they get homesick and how do they overcome this?
Yes very much so! I am touring this time with my husband Declan Masterson and my little son Rian and you do get very homesick when your away from your family, especially with the little one, that they don;t get to see him very often. But skype is a great way to overcome this.

Do you get much time to sight see and shop in all the amazing places you visit?
Thankfully when we don´t have rehearsals we get time to see around the cities we visit and also get a chance to squeeze a little shopping in aswell!

How does it feel to be ambassadors for Irish Dancing across the world?
I am very, very proud to be ambassador for Irish dancing across the world. Irish dancers train so hard, as hard as any Olympic athlete for many years and for it to be put on a platform along side the likes of U2, it is something we never thought would happen.

Do you have any healthy eating tips for keeping energy levels up while you perform?
It is important to eat at the right time before a performance. Some people may need to eat about 3 hours before they dance so as their food is digested. Eating the likes of pasta is good for energy and then maybe a banana to keep energy levels up while you perform.

Why don’t you wear wigs?
We do wear wigs. They are not like the wigs worn in Feis, but some people wear straight clip-in extensions to give their hair a little bit of body and length.

Do you find you suffer from pains – rheumatic, arthritic pains, at all? How do you try to prevent this?
Every dancer usually suffers from some kind of pain be it ankle pain, back pain or knee pain. We have a physio on site who helps us stretch and take care of our bodies to prevent injury.