BWW Reviews: RIVERDANCE at the Pantages - Ode to Dance, Music, One's Roots and Living

Riverdance
directed by John McColgan
Pantages Theatre
through November 20 only

From the top Riverdance is defined as journey...that takes us from land to water and back, or from land to sky and back, from one land to another, even... from one life to the next... oh, what awesome journeys Riverdance enfolds! Incorporating dance, song and music, both traditional and contemporary, the show began in 1994 as a salute to these art forms but not without an abundance of variety. According to director John McColgan, it would be impossible to represent Irish dance without presenting ballet or Spanish flamenco, and so the Irish Dance Troupe includes dancers from Australia, Great Britain and Spain. One great highlight of Act I is the Firedance with Flamenco soloist Marita Martinez-Rey, who stops the show with her dazzling display of fast, graceful footwork and inspired beauty. Footwork of the flamenco style certainly has a lot in common with the steadily heavy footwork of Irish dancing, but you must see both to appreciate how one may have influenced the other.

Dance as a part of culture must be appreciated by future generations in order to be maintained, and thus in journeying to new lands, it acquires new steps and further growth. In Act II, no greater example of this change is to be seen than in The Harbour of the New World sequence where the baritone soloist Michael E. Wood trades taps with Irish dancer Craig Ashurst. Styles have assuredly changed but they merge beautifully when represented side by side. Other highlights of this spectacular evening include: Thunderstorm, where the Irish male dancers let off steam as well as some gutteral primal screams, The Countess Cathleen with the lasses, and the title number the colorful "Riverdance" as the Act I finale. Within the song segments my favorite is "Heal Their Hearts-Freedom" by the baritone soloist Michael E. Wood who so magnificently shows off his double skill with singing, then dancing Trading Taps immediately thereafter. The 5 musicians are all terrific: the Irish Piper gives us "Lament", then the fiddler, the flautist, and those sensational drummers, whose loud and thunderous beats add so much vibrancy to the harmonious sounds of the tapping shoes, offer equally mesmerizing solos. Drums and taps combined create an indescribably electric energy that literally drives you to the edge of your seat.

Bravo to the lead dancers Craig Ashurst, Caterina Coyne, Alana Mallon, Padraic Moyles, Jason O'Neil and Chloey Turner and to the other 18 of the dance ensemble. Kudos as well to the Riverdance Band with musical director Declan Masterson, Piper Matt Bashford, fiddler Pat Mangan, drums Mark Alfred and saxophonist Dave McGauran. To tappers Michael E. Wood and Ben Mapp and to all the glorious singing members of the company, a hearty thank you.

Dancing, singing and music keep a culture alive and all peoples thriving and happy. Without them...well, let's hope they never die. Go see Riverdance and come alive through this Sunday November 20 only!