Quick-stepping Irish dancers will take over John R. Emens Auditorium as they transport the audience to a mythical time in Ireland filled with Celtic music and dance.
A touring production of "Lord of the Dance" will return to the Emens stage at 7:30 p.m. for the first time since 2002.
Emens Auditorium director Robert Myers was able to see part of the show when it visited Muncie seven years ago on May 2, 2002.
"The energy of the show is uplifting. There is a joy that exudes from the nature of the dance. I really like the technology in the show and the moving lights and pyrotechnic effects," Myers said.
In 1996, Michael Flatley's "Lord of the Dance" made its debut at the Point Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. Since then, the tour has gone on to become globally popular, becoming the highest grossing international tour in the history of entertainment since 1996, and has been seen by over 50 million people in 60 different countries and six different continents, according to the Lord of the Dance Web site.
Maggie Revis of Putnam Valley, N.Y., has been doing Irish dancing since she was 4 years old and has a passion for this type of dancing, she said. Revis has been involved in Michael Flatley's "Celtic Tiger" for two years and "Lord of the Dance" for three years, in which she stars as one of the female lead performers.
Revis attributes the show's success to its all-ages appeal. She said the show has grown in popularity over the years because the people who attend are able to recommend the show to all ages and types of people.
The story of the dance takes the audience on a journey through an old Irish folklore tale and kicks off as the Little Spirit transports through time to help the Lord of the Dance protect his people from Don Dorcha, the Dark Lord. The story continues to unfold throughout 21 scenes as it draws the audience into a world of good and evil, love and hate.
"‘Lord of the Dance' is a basic story of good vs. evil that I think the audience is able to relate to. Irish dancing is one of the only ways to truly tell a story without speaking, which I think also contributes to the popularity of the show," she said.
The cast of "Lord of the Dance" consists of around 50 world-class dancers ranging from 17 to 35 years old who have all won major international championships. Revis said she enjoys getting to know some of the dancers she used to compete against on a more personal level. Flatley and fellow choreographers are constantly changing the choreography to keep up with the current times and culture, so those who have seen the performance before can expect new and exciting changes at tonight's show, Revis said.
This year's cast also contains two new young performers who are coming straight off winning world competitions, so the audience can also look forward to seeing these world-class dancers along with the rest of the accomplished cast.
"People are always amazed at how fast the dancers' feet move and yet still stay in perfect unison," Revis said.
The performance allows the audience to enjoy the intense and loud rhythms of the Irish hard shoe dancing as well as the more graceful Irish soft shoe dancing.
"Unlike typical Irish dancing where the arms are always down, this performance allows the dancers to move their arms in order to enhance the telling of the story," Revis said.
Thursday night is a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness a cast of 50 world-class dancers all moving and stomping their feet in perfect unison, she said.
"There is no other show out there right now that has this many performers on the stage at one time, all in perfect unison with one another," she said.
If you go:
What: Michael Flatley's "Lord of the Dance"
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: John R. Emens Auditorium
Cost: Reserved Seating: $50/43/39/35 adult, $25/20 youth, $45/38/34/31 Pick 4+. BSU students free in advance, $10 at the door.
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