The high-energy beat and fast pace of tap dancing is a thrill to watch as much as it is to dance to. I mean, I’m not a tap dancer but I presume it has to be fun and engaging. Being on stage, in front of an eager audience, with lights, a camera, great production, and fierce music sets the tone for an all around good time!
The dance in question starts with a dramatic story from a loud booming voice: “Thunder and lightning batter the rocks. The winds howl and great storms break on the forest, scatter the herds like grain fire leaps from dark to dark, fear and anger leap to meet it…” You know you’re in for a good show.
A native of Dublin Padraic Moyles first saw a “Riverdance” production when he was a child at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. It was this first interaction that left an impression on the young boy and made him realize he wanted to pursue this as a career. Now, the man is the lead dancer, dance captain, and associate director of “Riverdance,” having worked his way up the past 20 years.
In this video, we are in for a particularly spooky, haunting segment. The deep voice paired with windy sound effects and a stage lit up in blue against a background with a big rock, reveals nine dancers. They are chanting as they walk upstage in formation, standing side by side in a line. Then they begin to dance. Their legs move quickly and are so tightly in sync, it’s incredible to watch. Their tapping and stamping are so bang on, the nine pairs of feet sound like only one really loud gigantic pair of feet!
Then, one dancer steps out of formation towards the front. It’s Padraic Moyles, and he approaches the audience, fiercely clapping alongside the music before breaking into his solo routine. He glides across the stage, taking over front and center. His moves are lightning quick and agile. His feet tapping and dancing away so brilliantly, it’s almost a blur. The rest of the men join in as they cheer and yell, again, in perfect unison, without a hitch. Padraic does another solo further cementing his talent as an incredible dancer. The crowd goes wild as he lifts his hands up before moving back in with the remaining eight men to bring to a close this mesmerizing dance.
Click the video below to watch an incredible segment of “Riverdance.” It’s truly amazing.
