Riverdance Utah show brings dancer back to familiar terrain
Kieran Hardiman, center, performs with Riverdance.
Kieran Hardiman performs as a member of Riverdance.
Kieran Hardiman, a member of Riverdance.
Gianna Petracic, lead dancer with Riverdance.
Gianna Petracic, lead dancer with Riverdance.
Professional Irish dancer Kieran Hardiman of Galway, Ireland, had been touring with Riverdance and other shows for 10 years when the company had a Wasatch Front performance in 2011.
Little did he know the Beehive State would soon become his home.
While visiting Utah’s capital, Hardiman became aware of a local Irish dance school in need of help to build its program.
“Riverdance had a bit of a break, so we said we would have a change of occupation and go there and … help them build the school,” Hardiman said. “But when we went there, we realized that the school had lots of talent, and so we ended up taking over.”
The school became known at that time as the Scariff Hardiman School of Irish Dance, and enrollment grew from about 30 to 150 students during the three and a half years Hardiman was there.
At that point, Hardiman realized he wasn’t quite ready to give up performing and went back to Riverdance. But with the show’s return to the Eccles Theater this week comes an opportunity for the dancer to see his students again.
“I’m excited to see all the kids and all the parents,” the lead dancer said. “I got to know lots of people there, so I’m just really, really excited to go there and perform for them.”
The Salt Lake City show is part of the troupe’s “Riverdance – The 20th Anniversary World Tour,” which has been touring internationally for several years. Since its 1994 Eurovision interval act beginning, Riverdance has gained a global reputation as the original, and what many consider the best, Irish dance show.
The climax of the show’s trademark Riverdance number is when all of the cast members join together in one line and dance in unison. Lead dancer Gianna Petracic of Sydney, Australia, said performing this part of the dance is “absolutely surreal.”
“When everybody comes on and everybody’s holding hands, it kind of feels like a celebration and a unity between all of us,” Petracic said. “It’s something I really can’t describe. I think it’s magical.”
Staying in sync with the other dancers takes a lot of practice, Hardiman said, but the show’s music also helps the group stay together. The score for the dance, composed by Bill Whelan, won a Grammy Award in 1997 for “Best Musical Theater Album.”
“It’s so iconic,” Petracic said. “Every single time you hear the score … I just get chills throughout my whole body.”
In addition to this signature Riverdance number, the 20th anniversary show will feature new costumes, set design and lighting, as well as some new dances, including an all-female number that is a favorite for Petracic.
“It’s a percussion piece where the girls get to show how strong they are and how they’re feminine but also how us as women can carry ourselves strong and independent, and I really enjoy that,” Petracic said.
Another highlight of the show is the non-Irish numbers, including a dance battle between two American tap dancers and three Irish dancers, Hardiman said.
The Riverdance cast is made up of dancers from all around the globe, including Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Russia and the U.S., according to Petracic.
“One of the things I do love about being with Riverdance is it’s so multitalented, and there’s so many talented people here, whether it’s dancers, musicians, even the crew,” Petracic said. “I think everyone here is so inspiring, and I learn something every single day.”
Hardiman said it’s an amazing feeling to see audience members happy when they leave the theater after a Riverdance show and know he had a part in that.
“I don’t think I’ve done a show yet where I haven’t seen the audience standing up at the end and practically dancing along to what we’re doing onstage,” Hardiman said.
RIVERDANCE — THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR
What: International Irish dance group Riverdance performs traditional Irish dances and songs in a touring show.
Where: Delta Performance Hall, Eccles Theater, 131 S. Main St., Salt Lake City
When: Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m.
Cost: $25-$80
Info: (801) 355-ARTS, artsaltlake.org