Lord of the Dance is an Irish
musical and dance production that was created, choreographed, and produced by
Irish-American dancer Michael Flatley, who also took a starring role. Flatley
found his first fame starring in Riverdance, but he left the show in
late 1995 due to conflicts over creative control. He dreamed of, and put into
action, a plan of putting together a dance show capable of playing in arenas
and stadiums instead of traditional theatres. Later on, Flatley soon began
thinking of rhythm patterns and steps for an a cappella number. This
number would later become "Planet Ireland", the show's finale.
The story follows the character "Lord of the Dance" and his fight
against the evil dark lord "Don Dorcha" from taking over Planet
Ireland. The "Lord of the Dance" defeats the dark lord's invasion
with help from a little spirit. There is also a story with a "love vs
lust" theme expressed through dance throughout the show. "Saoirse,
the Irish Cailín" fights for the love of the "Lord of the Dance"
against the wicked "Morrighan, the Temptress". The stories are based
on ancient Irish folklore and some Biblical references; the title itself, along
with the central musical theme, is taken from a contemporary hymn.
