Story Published:
Jan 20, 2010 at 11:17 PM PDT
Story Updated:
Jan 21, 2010 at 5:08 PM PDT
Those who have never seen “Riverdance” in the 11 years it has been performed on American stages have missed more than a tribute to a specific brand of folk dancing.
But now, as they say on the Emerald Isle, the jig is up for the foreseeable future in Los Angeles. Now at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, the show closes in L.A. this weekend, on what organizers say is a farewell North American tour for the thunderous celebration of Irish music, song and dance.
The ubiquitous television commercials advertising the production — which counts as the extent to which most have been exposed to “Riverdance” — do not do justice to a show that is about much more than tracing the changing face of Irish dance.
In between performances by Irish dance troupes, singers and drummers and the Moscow Folk Ballet Company, “Riverdance” unexpectedly throws some Spanish flair into the mix with flamenco artist Rocio Montoya.
With two solos in the show — “Firedance” and “Andalucia” — Montoya sets the stage ablaze with her Flamenco-infused tap solos that showcases the breadth of Ireland’s cultural prism.
The “Trading Taps” scene shared by dancers Jason E. Bernard and Kelly Isaac is another unexpected treat — sprinkled with comedy and a little bit of Sammy Davis Jr. inspiration. To set the scene, two African-American tap dancers standing under a street lamp are challenged by a group of Irish steppers, to a battle of tap at its finest and fastest.
With a hint of krump in their steps, the Americans show the quick Irish steppers that they can do whatever the challengers can — and with their eyes closed. It is a fun and fast-paced feast for the eyes; and while the astonishing diversity does not endure for the entire show, the scene-ending high-fives and collaborative steps demonstrate that these forms of expressions are indeed colorless.
In Act II’s “The Harbour of the New World, the show’s creators manifest the music and dance that has forged a sense of identity throughout the world. Ultimately, in the blending and fusion that follows, we see how emigrants discover the totality of the human experience and realize that expression is greater than the sum of Ireland’s many diverse parts.
The bridge between old dreams and new realities, and new musical influences meet halfway in Act II, where baritone soloist Michael Samuels’ golden voice calls out to the Lord in search of freedom in “Heal Their Hearts.”
Standing tall, with a voice as deep as the lyrics, he sings, “In the deep night, from a dark space, I hear voices calling out in heartache, they are wounded, they are broken, but their spirit rises when awaken … When will our hope begin, when will it come …”
Those who love it may be saddened to see “Riverdance” leave the stage, but it is uplifting to see how the show can still confound preconceived notions about culture. It is a welcome reminder of the universality of the human spirit, which can always be expressed in familiar ways no matter what part of the world we’re from.
<“Riverdance” runs through Jan. 24 at the Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. For more information or tickets, call (800) 982-ARTS.
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