What Makes Lord of the Dance Special? Michael Flatley Explains

Most people have a very strong emotional attachment to the original iteration of Lord of the Dance, and its subsequent journey up to Feet of Flames in Hyde Park. In particular, the first two commercial video releases -- the original video in 1996, and Feet of Flames in 1998 -- act like bookends on a truly unbelievable adventure which saw Lord of the Dance become absolutely massive: outselling huge rock acts, playing at the Oscars, setting records which still stand to this day (such as the 21-night sellout run at Wembley), and heavily exposed on TV.
The brand-new genre of the professional Irish dance show started with Michael's first show a year prior to Lord of the Dance -- but it was Lord of the Dance, in which Michael has 100% creative control and demonstrated that a show which was 100% Irish dancing could be commercially viable -- which took the dream and fully realized it. The first LOTD commercial video release, in 1996, is a raw, primal, back-up-against-the-wall explosion: a showcase of a dream, paid for by a man who bankrupted himself to fund it and prove himself as an artist. It's a show that seems to propel itself forward through sheer force of will, grabbing you by the lapels and shouting primary colors directly into your brain.
Fast-forward to Feet of Flames in 1998, and you see the other side of the coin: a one-off mega show, featuring the best Irish dancers in the world who have now completely grown into their roles, moving with swagger and confidence, in a massive set that would rival anything from the biggest bands in the world.
Lord of the Dance has evolved considerably since 1996, and will continue to do so. Everything has to evolve, change, and grow; if you stagnate, you die. But it can also be fun to occasionally look back and see how we got here. Periods of high stress, such as what the entire world is facing right now, breed a yearning for simpler times. Thus, we hope you enjoy this short excerpt from the making of Feet of Flames in 1998.
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[@BarabbaYes]

Fantastic dancers !!!

[@trishelliott1259]

Michael is a man I would love to meet. Just to talk with about his life. The real Michael Flatley.

[@donnaveirs8930]

So Awesome, So Beautiful!

[@kimberlywoodyard9027]

Chicago born then moved to Ireland, love him.

[@olgakravtsova142]

Великий труженик!!!И очень красивый мужчина!!!

[@jakiecosyn5165]

Magique Jackie