Maeve Fearon, Dancer, Irish Dance Troupe, Shannon Company Thankfully, this week has been a lot less hectic, with just three cities on our schedule. As many of you will know sleeping on a bus is not the most comfortable so after our long journey to Wilkes-Barre on our day off on Monday, it was straight … Continued
” I honestly can’t believe what I achieved and all within one month. It feels very surreal!! Winning the worlds was one thing, but to be on stage with the world’s biggest Irish dance show three weeks later was another. It all happened so quickly, but it’s the most amazing feeling in the world”. John
City Update – Quebec City, QC: A beautiful, historic city that delighted me in every aspect but I was not sad to leave behind a city where they STILL have winter in April! Highlights included early morning swims in the rooftop outdoor heated swimming pool and dining at the ‘Restaurant Le Retro’ bistro in the oldtown to taste the homemade assortment of local pates and seafood chicken pie. A brunch consisting of croque-monsieur on Friday afternoon gave a nice kick start to my day.
My questioning takes me to the male dressing room a floor above ours where I find Stephen Brennan patiently waiting for a hair iron to heat up. “Is that yours?!” I ask? Stephen grins at me and replies gesturing to the hair iron “You don’t think I look this good everyday without these?!”
www.nj.com Touring with Riverdance from city to city in the U.S. is bittersweet for principal dancer Jason O’Neill, who knows this is his last opportunity to see the country — with the tour. “We know it’s the end,” he said. “We’re on our farewell tour. We’re playing 84 cities … some smaller cities we’ve never … Continued
It was nice to be back in a dance studio and a fine studio it was at the “Grand Theatre”, Quebec. This was even more important for one of our new troupe members, Callum Spencer who in just a few short days after his arrival would perform male lead for the very first time.
Those days before our first show flew by and then I was standing side stage for my first press call, just about to dance the number Riverdance
Adrenalin kicked in and then I finally realised what I’m a part of and to top it off, in my home state and country…. NSW, Australia.
Veterans Padraic Moyles and Niamh O’ Connor bid adieu to the American stage after serving many years with the ‘American’ Company. Niamh and Padraic were joined by Lauren Smyth, James Keating and singer/ tap dancer, Micheal Wood on their transfer to our sister company, the Moy on a six week tour of Australia and New Zealand until June. As the saying goes, one door closes and another opens and it did just that for their replacements. We have since welcomed Megan Baffa, Owen Barrington, Ben Mapp, Tokiko Masuda and Callum Spencer. They shall complete the remaining seven weeks with the Shannon Company.
Newcastle played host to a great first week of the tour. It was a busy one, in particular for the 6 new dancers who worked very hard, yet rewarding for both cast and crew who enjoyed all the local amenities had to offer. Jason Oremus proudly got to dance for his family who travelled from Sydney to watch him.
Cast and crew are reunited at Dublin airport. Hugs, kisses and lots of chit chat fills the air, as we all catch up on the past few months. It’s been a while since the Moy Company have travelled together. It’s also an exciting day for new dancers Patrick O’Mahony, Emma Warren, John Lonergan, Louise O’Sullivan and Shaun Kelly who will perform with Riverdance for the first time ever on the upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand. Peta Anderson from Sydney will also join the company when we land in Australia.