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| Feet of Flames | |
|---|---|
| Name | Feet of Flames |
| Genre | Dance show |
| Creator | Michael Flatley |
| Premiered | 1998 |
| Venue | Hyde Park |
| Company | Lord of the Dance company |
| Notable cast | Michael Flatley, Bernadette Flynn |
Feet of Flames is a stage show created and led by Irish-American dancer Michael Flatley known for its high-energy Irish dance performances and large-scale theatrical production. The show evolved from Flatley's earlier work Lord of the Dance and toured internationally, drawing audiences from cultural centers such as London, New York City, Sydney, and Dublin. Feet of Flames combined traditional Irish stepdance techniques with commercial staging practices seen in productions at venues like Hyde Park, London, Madison Square Garden, and the O2 Arena.
Feet of Flames was conceived after the critical and commercial success of Lord of the Dance and capitalized on rising popular interest in Irish performance following events like Riverdance at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest and national celebrations in Ireland. The production featured a cast drawn from companies including the original Lord of the Dance company and collaborators from theatrical institutions in London, New York City, and Los Angeles. Footage and televised specials associated with the show were broadcast to audiences in markets such as BBC Television, RTÉ, and international networks covering performing arts programming.
Staging for Feet of Flames emphasized expansive set design, pyrotechnics used in venues like Hyde Park, London and lighting rigs similar to those in arena tours by artists who performed at Madison Square Garden and Wembley Stadium. Choreography was devised and directed by Michael Flatley, who adapted motifs from traditional Irish masters and contemporary choreographers connected to institutions such as Riverdance and dance companies that emerged from Dublin and Belfast. Lead dancers who performed principal roles trained at schools and companies linked to the Royal Academy of Dance, regional academies in Galway, and touring ensembles based in New York City and Los Angeles. Production personnel included set designers and technical directors with credits on tours alongside acts who played venues like O2 Arena and festivals such as Glastonbury Festival for large-scale outdoor staging.
The score for Feet of Flames drew on compositions associated with Flatley collaborators and composers who had worked on shows in Dublin and London. Musical themes echoed instrumentation common to performances like Riverdance and recordings connected to Irish composers and producers who worked in studios across Ireland and United Kingdom production centers. The soundtrack combined traditional jigs and reels with orchestral arrangements reminiscent of music heard in concert halls such as Symphony Hall, Boston and recording studios in Los Angeles. Sheet music adaptations and arrangements were performed by orchestras and ensembles affiliated with venues including Royal Albert Hall and regional orchestras in Cork.
Critical response to Feet of Flames reflected comparisons to contemporaneous phenomena including Riverdance and the earlier Lord of the Dance, with reviews published in outlets covering arts in London, The New York Times, and cultural reporters from RTÉ. Audiences praised the athleticism and spectacle, contributing to the broader commercialization of Irish dance and influencing touring dance productions seen in cities like Chicago, Toronto, and Sydney. The show's legacy is evident in subsequent productions that blended traditional Irish stepdance with arena-style presentation and in the careers of performers who moved into choreography, teaching positions at academies in Dublin and Galway, and media work for broadcasters such as BBC Television and RTÉ.
Noteworthy dates included a high-profile 1998 performance at Hyde Park, London and international tours that visited major venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York City, Staples Center in Los Angeles, and arenas across Europe and Australia including stops in Sydney and Melbourne. The touring company also performed on televised gala events produced by broadcasters like BBC Television and RTÉ and appeared at cultural festivals in Dublin and major international arts festivals. Principal dancers from the tours went on to perform in regional productions and teach at institutions associated with dance training in Belfast, Cork, and Galway.
Category:Theatre productions