Riverdance makes a stop on anniversary tour

The high-energy, traditional Irish dance show Riverdance will make a victory lap this year with its 20th anniversary tour. Since its inaugural tour in 1997, Riverdance has visited more than 450 venues worldwide and has been seen by more than 25 million people. It is widely considered one of the world’s most successful dance productions. 

“I feel like because it is a tradition is why it’s lasted so long. It’s not trying to be anything other than what it is,” lead female dancer Maggie Darlington said. 

The celebration tour will visit Birmingham’s BJCC with a Jan. 16 show at 7:30 p.m. 

“I’m extremely excited by the cast that are going out,” said Padraic Moyles, associate director of Riverdance. “They are young, athletic, energetic. They were inspired by Riverdance when it first came out, and they are truly living their dream. And it’s hard to put the energy that they have into words.”

As a part of the anniversary tour, the production will showcase costume, lighting and design changes and will feature a new dance number. 

“You will see a new number that was not in the show before, which is an all-female number,” Moyles said. “It essentially balances the all-male number in the first half of the show.”