Review: Riverdance

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For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to see Riverdance, but unfortunately I never made it to the theatre when it was actually in our local area so when it came out on DVD I just had to see it. I wanted to know what all the hype was about. I wanted to see the fancy footwork everyone talked about and I wanted to experience the culture behind the musical: Celtic mythology and Irish history.

I wanted to love the DVD and I did!

What I really enjoyed about the DVD version is that you literally feel like you are right there in the theatre watching the performance live. The cameramen did an excellent job of really bringing the performances home. Often times, you watch a musical that is being performed live on stage and the cameramen miss their mark. They try so hard to get close-ups that the overall effect of the musical is lost. But not so with Riverdance, ! The ambience is there in every screen.

There is so much energy in Riverdance, that you may find yourself getting up and dancing yourself. The scenes are preluded with a narration that tells the story being told in music and dance that’s about to take place which is very helpful for those of us who don’t always interpret things correctly or know the history behind each performance. The dancing, the singing, the music, the proprs—it’s all breathtaking and all works beautifully together.

There’s a second DVD that comes with the Collector’s edition that can’t be missed; especially if you’re interested in knowing how Riverdance became such a phenomenon. There’s a documentary on its 10 year run, a documentary on how different cultures view Riverdance, and then there’s the offshoot of “The West Side Story” where two groups of dancer meet and show each other up—only this time it’s all done in jest and fun. I actually found this little skit to be quite enjoyable as it appeared to dancing on the fly—no stage presence, just good ‘ole fashioned fun.

If you’ve always wanted to see Riverdance, live but couldn’t afford the tickets or never found the performance close enough to drive to, I encourage you to pick up a copy of the DVD, Riverdance: Live From Radio City Music Hall, The Collector’s Edition because you will not be disappointed. In fact, I like to play the DVD while painting. It makes me feel alive—as though Rembrandt himself were painting alongside me. The energy of each performance allows me to concentrate on painting without inhibitions, thus allowing me to really get into the moment and create intutively.