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PEOPLE & ARTSTuesday 22 September 2015

Michael Flatley to make Broadway debut _ and then retire

MARK KENNEDY London Palladium and and pride surrounding
AP Drama Writer performing on Broadway. the onset of the booming
NEW YORK (AP) — For- “That’s the last dream,” “Celtic Tiger” economy.
mer “Riverdance” star Mi- he said. “My wife and Flatley went on to cre-
chael Flatley, who helped my team asked, ‘Is there ate his own shows, “Feet
spark a worldwide Celtic anything else we haven’t of Flames” and “Celtic
dance craze, will make done in this career?’ I Tiger.” His “Lord of the
his long-awaited Broad- said, ‘I’ve never done Dance” premiered in
way stage debut this Broadway and I want to 1996 and it has been
winter — and then finally dance in the greatest seen by more than 60 mil-
hang up his tap shoes. place in the world.’” lion people in 60 differ-
The dancer and choreog- Flatley will take the stage ent countries, including
rapher told The Associat- during a limited eight- 400,000 during a five-year
ed Press that he will bring week engagement that residency in Las Vegas.
his current show “Lord of begins Nov. 7 and will His current iteration —
the Dance: Dangerous play through Jan. 3. He subtitled “Dangerous
Games” to the Lyric The- will appear at the encore Games” — played the
atre and, having crossed of each evening show, London Palladium, the
the last item off his bucket dancing alongside ho- West End’s Dominion
list, retire as a performer. lographic movies of his Theatre and next month
“Last year, I decided my iconic dances. moves to the Playhouse
legs and my back had Flatley, born into a blue- Theatre. The score is by
taken such a beating collar Irish-American fam- Gerard Fahy and the
over the years. I said, ‘You ily in Chicago, was cata- show includes dancing
know, it’s time.’ I have a pulted to fame after co- robots, acrobats and
beautiful wife and a love- choreographing “River- street styles.
ly, beautiful 8-year-old dance,” which was first “When I started this whole
son and I said ‘I’ve got performed as a seven- thing, dancers were al-
to spend more time with minute interval break in ways the guys in the
them.’” the Eurovision Song Con- background,” he said.
The 57-year-old put to- test in 1994. “I wanted to change
gether a list of profes- He and dancer Jean But- that. My dream was that
sional dreams he wanted ler helped extend it into dance could be the main
to accomplish before re- a full-length show and it event around the world.
tiring, which included re- opened at Dublin’s Point My dream was that one
turning to Wembley Are- Theatre in 1995, at a time day we could compete
na in London, playing the of renewed Irish optimism with the big rock ‘n’ roll

DiCaprio, Bono, Zuckerberg In this Sept. 27, 2005 file photo, Irish American dancer Michael
added to Global Citizen Festival Flatley, known for his works River Dance and Lord of the Dance,
performs at Madison Square Garden, in New York.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Leonardo Di-
Caprio, Bono, Nobel Peace Prize winner Associated Press
Malala Yousafzai and Bill and Melinda
Gates will be onstage for next week’s bands and perform in time now,” he said. “I’ve
Global Citizen Festival in New York City. those big arenas.” earned it and I’m proud
The Sept. 26 event that stars Beyonce, But years of traditional of it and I wouldn’t trade
Pearl Jam and Coldplay is a highlight of Irish step-dancing — in- it for the world. It was my
the annual gathering of world leaders at fused with elements dream to be a profes-
the United Nations. U.N. Secretary-Gen- of ballet, tap, modern sional dancer, to lead
eral Ban Ki-Moon will be there, along with dance and world rhythms these wonderful young
several prime ministers and CEOs. — have taken their toll, dancers, and it’s a dream
The previously announced celebrity hosts he said. “My spinal col- come true every day.”
include Stephen Colbert, Kerry Washing- umn is in bad shape,” he Flatley said he’s pass-
ton, Salma Hayek Pinault, Olivia Wilde and said, also listing ailments ing the torch to young
Hugh Jackman. to his knees, calf muscles, dancers including James
Ed Sheeran, Common and Indian singer two ruptured Achilles ten- Keegan, Fergal Keaney
Sunidhi Chauhan will also be performing in dons, a fractured right and Morgan Comer. “It’s
Central Park for the multi-hour event. It will rib and a right foot bone my honor to bring them
air on MSNBC and stream on iHeartRadio fracture. to Broadway and shine
and Tidal. “It’s time. If this was a foot- like the stars I know them
The event will highlight the launch of an ball match, I’d be in injury to be.”q
ambitious set of global development
goals.q

In this Feb. 10, 2015, file photo, Beyonce
performs at “Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key
of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute,” at the
Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

Associated Press