Edinburgh, We love you!

November 11, 2014

The cast and crew were all up bright and early today. Sunglasses are on, beanies and scarves are being worn and you can’t forget the tea or coffee in one hand. All of our bags are packed and ready to go as the Liffey Co. say goodbye to Week 10 in Edinburgh. We performed at the Edinburgh Playhouse. Our week here consisted of days out exploring the cobblestoned streets, stumbling across historic buildings, famous attractions and birthday celebrations.

Our sightseeing began on Tuesday as Julia and myself stepped outside for a wonder. We stumbled across one of Edinburgh’s famous landmarks, St. Giles Cathedral. Many of us stopped by and looked at it in wonder and open eyes. But it was The Edinburgh Castle and The Elephant House (the birthplace of Harry Potter) where people headed to. I can definitely see where J.K Rowling got her inspiration for the Harry Potter series. When you look at the Edinburgh Castle from afar, it screams Hogwarts.

We said Happy Birthday to one of our wardrobe ladies Tullia, our saxophone player Dave and crew member Darragh this week.

A work shop took place at the Irish Dance Academy of Edinburgh on Wednesday as some of our dancers taught over 60+ students. Katie Hands said, ‘we taught them Riverdance, and they picked it up so quickly. They also gave us a performance of a dance they do in exhibitions….they were great!’

This week was also about family and friends. On Saturday we had Siobhan McSharry and Peter Wilson’s family and friends in, along with female and male lead dancers Alana Mallon and Stephen Brennan’s family and friends. We also welcomed over 200+ dancers from Scotland who came to Saturdays matinee and evening performances. It was an amazing day for us, as the audience were bursting with energy and life. The dancers and musicians thank you all for the support.

Just before our last show, a few of the girls and myself gathered together and asked each other what their favourite part of the week was. Some said the amazing audience we had on saturday night, others said exploring Edinburgh Castle (which was the most popular answer.) Siobhan said her favourite moment was when her family and friends came down for the weekend to watch her. I would have to say my favourite moment was when I wondered up to Calton Hill. The view was truly beautiful and it was nice to sit down and observe my surroundings. You were able to see the entire city on one side, the sea on the other and the Volcano. The hill has several iconic  monuments, one of which I fell in love with, was The Dugald Stewart Monument that was erected in the 1700’s.

Our next stop is Sunderland where we will be performing at the Empire Theatre. Keep up to date with the latest news via our Facebook and Twitter pages. You can also follow Riverdance on Instagram: @riverdanceofficial and myself on Instagram: @gianna93