FEET of FLAMES WORLD TOUR 2000-2001

CONCLUSION OF THE TRILOGY & INTO THE NEW CENTURY

The impact of the Hyde Park extravaganza was so strong and widespread, the video achieving record sales and demands to have the show staged again coming in from across the world, it was almost a foregone conclusion that the fire would be rekindled in some form. Once paused, healed and somewhat rested, it was not surprising either that the passion for live performance soon drove Michael back to the stage. In September 1999, to announce the World Tour, he staged a typically extravagant and humorous, if reckless, stunt at Satzvay Castle in Germany, in which he rose from beneath the lake, apparently 'walked on water' and disappeared into a burst of flames. It had probably taken some battles to get that far, his business people pushing him to reproduce what had already been so successful, as per requests, his own creative genius no doubt in conflict and itching to start fresh and produce a completely new show. In the end, the result was a compromise, another, final stage in the evolution of Lord of the Dance, albeit once again expanded and upgraded, and bearing considerable new material. That Michael's personal vision was in a new place was obvious from the opening scene, the new Feet of Flames revealing deep intellectual progression, its content even more filled with provenance and subtle historical reference. As well as being visually gorgeous, this proved his most complex creation to date, and that perceived meanings are coincidental must be discounted, since discussion with Ronan Hardiman confirmed that every detail does indeed carry deliberate significance.

The new production was even richer in colour and costume than its predecessors. On the surface of course, it was a dazzling display of wonderful dancing, still rooted firmly in the discipline of Irish traditional dance but taken even further into the future. The set was bigger and more elaborate and Ronan Hardiman's musical score full of even more richly textured melodies, rhythmns and harmonies. However, the most startling element for audiences at the first preview shows in Erfurt in Germany (March 2000) was the unexpected addition of foreign flavour, echoes of Egypt in sound and vision, even hints of the East. Suddenly, Michael was opening another world and those watching asked each other: 'What has this got to do with Ireland?' As never before, to fully appreciate and understand Michael's work, beyond the surface spectacle and the dance steps, the audience had to think, and learn. That many would not wish to do so was not important, those people had plenty to entertain them in the lavish production, but for those open to seeing further into the Master's genius mind, Feet of Flames the World Tour was his most fascinating creation yet. It is one of the unique aspects of Michael's work that his stage shows stimulate people around the world not only to become fans of the music and dance, but to become seriously interested in all areas of Irish culture, and to become educated in Celtic Studies, all the way from the history of the people to the Gaelic language. For these afficionados, Michael presented a true feast!

PASSION FOR HISTORY

Beyond the stage, one of Michael's principal life passions life is history, and like everything he touches, his study of it is intense and his grasp of it all-encompassing. Like many who do not possess paper qualifications from formal third level education, he tends to run down his knowledge beyond his 'trade' of dance, but in fact it would be an exceptionally qualified intellectual who succeeded in coming close to Michael's range and depth of learning. He relishes in research, admitting to soaking up as much local history and culture as possible everywhere he goes, and it is impossible to understand Feet of Flames without some background knowledge. To begin with, some research on the origins of the Irish people throws considerable light on its concept. Anthropologically, all the peoples of these islands (of which Ireland is one) are derived from two races. One, among whose names is the title 'Iberian', seems to have come from parts of Eastern, Central, and North Africa and to have been the first inhabitants of the Nile Valley. This race migrated up through the lands that are now Spain and France to our islands. In Ireland they remained long unconquered until the arrival of the Celts, whose language belied their affinity to Latin, Teutonic, Greek, Slavic, the Zend of Persian, and the Sanskrit of ancient India. Right there, without even touching on the mythological, is the basis for all the 'foreign' strands in the script of the Feet of Flames World Tour.

The strongest foreign cultural flavour of the show is from Egypt, and the appropriateness of that is borne out by exhibits in the National Museum of Ireland. On display are many elaborate gold torc collars and bangles of Celtic make that would fit easily into an Egyptology exhibition, and the famous little paper-thin gold boat, complete with spindly golden oars, has been established as made in Egypt, although excavated from an Irish site.

Also acknowledged is that the rich blue precious stone, Lapis Lazuli, and the dye made from its powdered form for our illuminated manuscripts, had to have been supplied from that area of the world. The ancient Irish art world is peppered with motifs that have clear Egyptian reference, even on one of the most famous stone High Crosses, in Monastraboise, Co. Meath, where a pair of stone carved cats sit, almost like sphinxes, as the foot of the cross.

Whereas the fairytale of Lord of the Dance arguably took us through episodes of Irish history, the new Feet of Flames show can be seen as illustrative of the life-force that is the Irish Celtic spirit. The various presentations in dance of imagery from other lands - Egyptian, Arabian, Spanish - are examples of foreign influence, the warring warriors not only allegories on the feuding clans but of the various invading 'conquerors.' The romantic intrigue, other than simply 'good' and 'bad,' is thus a portrayal of freedom versus dominance. The overriding element, and key to the whole story in this context is the Jester, representative of the childlike, fresh, and unspoiled spirit of the indomitable Irish people. Throughout history our invaders, from a total inability to comprehend the Irish (a lack of understanding not yet wholly extinct) have always tended to mock and dismiss our free spirit, sense of 'craic,' and refusal to conform to others' ways as an irritating childish nonsense, when in fact that invincible spirit has proved our greatest strength and asset.

LEGEND AND HISTORY

In Feet of Flames we are shown, through dance and song, the variety of external forces that have attempted to leash and quell that spirit, and that spirit's answer, which is perhaps our most powerful characteristic, that we fought not just against our invaders but for our own culture, continuing to preserve our songs, dance, poetry, and language no matter how forcefully others sought to crush them. In the opening sequence it is all laid out for us in a magnificent scenario set in a superb fusion of times. The stage is drowned in sumptuous and brilliant colour from the first moment of the show to the last, and in selection of hues and detailing of costume outline and decorative motifs bears intriguing similarity to the work of famous Irish stained glass artist Harry Clarke. His early twentieth century masterpieces grace Dublin's landmark cafe, Bewley's in Grafton Street and superb rose window in the adjacent St. Teresa's church, but it is in his Celtic-Egyptian chapel on the campus of Cork University, not thirty minutes' drive from Michael's home, CastleHyde, that the echo is strongest. In that chapel's tall windows the figures are cloaked in robes reminiscent of the courtiers of Feet of Flames, complete with Egyptian-flavoured headdresses.

The setting of the opening scene is a magnificent semi-ancient, semi-medieval court, probably representative of the great legendary Court of Tara. In this court is the foreign and indigenous, the Egyptian clad standard-bearers carrying banners bearing emblems not of some set-designer's imagination but of accurate, authentic motifs from ancient manuscripts such as the Book of Kells, each identifiable and with specific source. In a scene that cleverly meshes the time-scale of far apart eras, these heralds announce the arrival of the Irish Queen (Queen Maeve perhaps?) dressed and presented as the head of a medieval court. In attendance are the two female leads of the show, representations of the Swan (as spirit of the homeland?) and the Temptress Cleopatra (spirit of foreign influence?) Then enters the Jester, borne aloft as if a mischievous echo of Cleopatra's entry into Rome.

The two lead dancers' costumes are as futuristic as any science fiction movie, yet bear the motifs of ancient interlace, another fusion of traditional and 21st century. The standard bearers are clad as from Egypt, but their steps are pure Irish. The Queen's outline is almost Queen Elizabeth I, but the superb iridescent panel up the front of her exquisite golden crushed velvet dress (although difficult to decipher against the beautiful but tantalizing lighting effects), shows Egyptian influence in the two sphinx-like bestial creatures from whose heads grow antlers that twist upwards to become flame shapes. Is it coincidence that there is strong similarity to the astrological designs of the mosaic floor in Harry Clarke's chapel in Cork?

Into this extraordinarily complex court scene the monks, whose masks seem to echo Venetian carnival and medieval cathedral gargoyles, march and chant. Their music is a glorious Ronan Hardiman piece, their lyric is another of his intriguing creations using the human voice to make sounds, 'jabberwocky' nonsense words rather than real language. They are joined by the guardians of the court, clad in long, rich robes with gold Egyptian-style headdresses. Then the Jester takes over the stage with vibrant, radiant energy, dancing now with identifiable, slick Irish steps, the unstoppable, youthful Irish spirit. Perhaps it is worth noting that there is one old theory among historians which suggests that our Travelling People could be derived from the Jesters of medieval courts who became outcasts. This Jester's costume is shining gold and brilliant primary colours, with headdress of the traditional Jester, yet in cut and materials completely New Millennium.

The Jester's dance clears the court, and the giant doors behind open and reveal a wall of fire (fitting to a culture so rooted in the elements of nature) which could also be read from the Celtic spiritual standpoint as symbolic of the Sun, spirit of the day and giver of life, from which bursts forth the hero we have come to know as The Lord of the Dance. His costume is both Celtic and Egyptian in its motif and colouring, black of the earth, red of the fire, and adorned with Egyptian gold headdress, collar, and wristlets, all decorated with Celtic interlace, motifs as ancient and traditional as could be, the fabrics state-of-the-art. With the physique and fitness of an Olympic God and footwork derived from the sharpest and most intricate Celtic dance, this warrior spirit has incredible significance and impact. He is the essence of what the heritage of our island is, all eras, all influences, but at the core unquenchable, a spirit of survival: how appropriate to the creator. Equally appropriate is that having established his presence and demonstrated his ability he then gathers in the troupe of young dancers, clad in fiery earth colours, to join him in the joyful but still fighting finale of the Firedance, for they are the key to the future. His statement made, he vanishes in an explosive display of pyrotechnics.

FROM CELTIC COURT TO ARABIAN HAREM

As if to calm the atmosphere, Anne Buckley then glides across the stage to sing Maghdain Mara, breathing tranquility into the charged air with a song that reminds us of the misty Green Land to which this tale refers. She is still clad in the bronze-gold velvet gown but with loosened hair and without the stiff court collar. The Irish Queen is now in her own territory singing of a woman's search for her lost children -- a lament all too meaningful to countless mothers in Ireland's ravaged history, in which the mother figure has always been so strong a force. The scene then takes us to the dream world of the Swans, creatures dear to Irish hearts from the sad tale of the Children of Lir. The King's four beloved children were turned into four swans for nine hundred years by their jealous stepmother. Ronan Hardiman's beautiful music for this dance, tragically never commercially released, has to be one of his loveliest pieces, at once melodic and timeless, but with electronic rendition that bespeaks also of its modern root. Similarly the dancers' costumes, timeless fairy dresses with handkerchief pointed hemlines and 'wings' of gossamer wraps, made in the latest shimmering material that catches the light and flutters and twinkles to the movement of the dance. The swans dance, fall sleep, and are awakened to dance again, much as the culture they represent has had to lie quiet repeatedly at times and wait for the opportunity to rise again. Not only to change the tempo must the scene then change dramatically. For the pleasure of the dream world is always disturbed by dark forces, and so it is now.

The evil element, representative of invading forces and of internal tribal feuds, stomps its way across the stage with menacing precision. The dazzling timing and skill of Stephen Brunning (who portrayed the evil Lord throughout the World Tour) and his warriors show how fierce a threat their dark energy can be. For this scene they take the stage alone, so their authority goes unchallenged until the last moment, when, as they march offstage defiantly, the little Jester (whom we have temporarily forgotten) prances mischievously after them as if to say "But I'm still here!", perhaps a subtle allegory for the indomitable Irish spirit. The exotic pull of foreign flavours is illustrated next in "Cleopatra's Spell," with the Temptress and her harem of dancers clad in gorgeous brocade silk, presenting a slightly confused mix of Irish step and Middle Eastern gesture -- an experiment not quite successful or a superb illustration of one culture's attempt to twist or absorb another? That choice of interpretation is left in the eye of the beholder. After that blend of cultures comes an appropriate interlude of what Michael calls 'Irish rock and roll', the first appearance of the crowd-rousing fiddlers working up audience participation with their infectious enthusiasm. Ireland rules! That statement also provides a fitting introduction to two of the cornerstone dances of the show: the "Strip Jig" and "Warlords." The first, updated version of 'Breakout' from Lord of the Dance, demonstrates the determination of the modern Irish girls to be as skilled as anyone in traditional dance while standing up to the chiding from outside, and at the same time be as liberated and up-to-date as any of their generation. The second brings forth the return of the Lord of the Dance, this time with his warriors, and also ready to show his romantic inclinations (as strongly present in Irish myths as in any other).

METAMORPHOSIS Michael's costume for the famous 'Warlords' dance underwent continual metamorphosis through a series of camaelian changes since 1996. It must have had at least seven different images, beginning with 'simple' shiny black leather, and going through a series of studded and richly chained garments -- all with thonged headband; to bronze and pewter leather (particularly dramatic); and silver and black leather with Cordoba hat; and finally silver pants. The suggested imagery of the costume has gone from Hollywood era 'rebel youth' through 'Harley Davidson' biker to Spanish matador, and in this final form, featuring Cordoba hat and superb calf-length coat with metallic pants, seems almost to echo a latterday swashbuckling Highwayman. Worn in Michael's trademark fashion without a shirt beneath, surprisingly, the long-coated costume proves one of the most successful. Made of diamante-spangled black leather on the outside and cut in panels slashed almost to the waist at intervals all the way round, in motion the free panels fly and swirl, revealing iridescent metallic, brilliant red lining. The impact sets off the futuristic glint of 'white-gold' silver pants to perfection and draws the eye all the more to Michael's amazing footwork.

The Irish Queen now returns after this to present a modern Irish classic, "Marble Halls," (another reference to a court scene in the lyric) clad in suitably slinky modern gown of shimmering white. With this she not only offers a tranquil interlude, but also -- perhaps purely by accident -- showcases a fashion sense that is echoed by the success of the young Irish generation in that industry.

"Kaleidascope" provides a rainbow interlude of joyful celebration; the Irish 'gathering' dance brought right up to date. It is introduced by another appearance of the Jester, who is in evidence much more frequently and for longer in Feet of Flames than is the original Little Spirit of Lord of the Dance. Here she skips and bounces about the stage in childlike fun, setting up the party atmosphere for the energetic young troupe who then take over the stage. Here too are the slick, traditional steps of set dancing presented with modern freedom of expression, state of the art fabric and design in costuming and another subtle allegory on the unquenchable spirit of Ireland in the music and lighting. The mood changes are particularly effective and significant, at one moment bright, clear and purely the youth-spirit of Irish boys and girls enjoying their dance; then the sound changes to have an ethereal, electronically-generated mystic quality and the lighting changes to turn the costumes to neon shades bathed in a violet glow. All in a moment the dancers become the fairy spirits, defiantly living their free-spirited lives under cover of night until the daylight returns and they can dance openly and freely once more.

The first Act ends with the ultimate presentation of Irish rock and roll, "Celtic Fire," with Michael in command with his wonderful bejeweled flute, and in fabulous black leather heavily encrusted with red and gold Celtic interlace up the pant side seams, across the shoulders and down the sleeves of the jacket. Once again it is a sophisticated blend of ancient and ultra-modern in sound and vision, one that never fails to rouse the crowd into enthusiastic response.

BRILLIANT DARKNESS

The second Act opens with the giant set lit with night shades and sprinkled with stars. The colouring is simple, yet intensely bright and three-dimensional. At this point most of all the evolving brilliance of the lighting colours of Michael's shows is particualrly vivid. Lord of the Dance offered a very new and different colour palette to the dance show stage, made up predominantly of deep blues, with intermitant green and red splashes. Feet of Flames in Hyde Park intensified it, with emphasis on the fiery shades of orange, red and gold. The Feet of Flames World Tour brought dramatically enriched palette, expanding the range into a full kaleidascope of fabulous jewel hues, indigo, purples, magentas, jade greens, scarlet reds and vibrant golden yellows, dressing them all with ever brighter sparkle and movement.

In this star-spangled night setting begins the Jester's first real misadventure. She encounters the Evil Lord in savage mood, is captured and tortured by him and his men and finally falls into the clutches of the temptress Cleopatra in her eerie, fiery lair. It is interesting this is the same Earth fire abyss from which earlier was born the Lord of the Dance, but now its flame has changed from the life-sparking red and gold (or the Sun-spirit's light of day?) to sinister cold blue and ice white (the Moon-spirit of the dark night?) which now entraps and freezes the jester as if in a spider's web of flame. Her story is not done of course, and the Evil Lord's triumph is short-lived as the Lord of the Dance's warriors and their leader arrive on the scene to settle the score and see justice done.

Intriguingly, the masked monk figures and some of the Egyptian standard bearers attend the battle, again with the new music, giving many possible connotations. Are the Evil Lord and his kind the soldiers doing the dirty deeds of all suppressors, even representative of the sometimes-unhealthy superstition-laden control imposed on the people by religious bodies at times throughout the ages? At the end of the scene freedom prevails and the Jester emerges unscathed. Yet hot on her heels comes Cleopatra once more, to flirt briefly with the hero and then show her exotic dance this time alone. Her message seems to be "You haven't seen the last of me!"

'PRINCE POET' IN BLUE VELVET

Time and space stand still as the stage darkens in silence and then haunting violins and a single spotlight introduce "Swan's Dream." The swan lies sleeping and over her stands her hero to raise his flute and fill the night air with the spellbinding magic of Michael's creation of "Whispering Wind," based on the enchanted air "An Chullain." Legend has it that this air is so beautiful it is cursed and cannot be played perfectly; if so that curse has surely been broken now. Michael's interpretation of the piece has become a classic, and one of his most outstanding live performance creations. On many occasions he has poured so much of his soul into playng it that before its end he and his audience shed tears of emotion. Its magic began in Hyde Park in 1998, with no sleeping swan, then just the musician on a dark stage in mystic twilight playing traditional wooden flute and clad in dramatic black leather. In the World Tour Feet of Flames it has been developed into a full, evocative vignette, its impact heightened by the musician's jeweled flute and stunning costume of St. Patrick's blue crushed velvet suit, richly encrusted with pearlescent white and silver Celtic interlace. This image seems perfection for one whose family name derives from an ancient Irish name meaning ' Prince Poet'. The lack of this image recorded on DVD is one of the shames of the World Tour, and still photographs fail dismally to capture the true perfection of its colour and exquisite detail.

Opposing troupes of female dancers take the stage again next for "Thunder and Lightning," a full new troupe dance of great energy and humour, and it is interesting that this time it is the female clans that compete, perhaps echoing the ancient Irish past in which the Queens were as warlike as the Kings! The two troupes challenge each other to supremacy in the uptempo hard shoe dance and ultimately come to a wary stand-off, their leaders still eyeing each other with dislike while saluting the audience at the end. The distinctive angular costumes have a hint of Egypt again, but as always it is offset by the Celtic interlace.

The Irish Queen returns for her final interlude of song, clad fittingly in classic emerald velvet as she sings the beautiful "Carrickfergus." It is another historical reference that the lyric speaks of the emigrant Irish woman yearning for home, and a particularly poignant choice of air when the show gave its milestone performance at Stormont in Belfast, Northern Ireland in July 2000. It is interesting that Anne Buckley's rendering of "Carrickfergus" evolved gradually through all the Feet of Flames performances, and the backing music evolved with it, small hints of 'update' improvisation that surprisingly work perfectly and take nothing from the traditional base of the song. This interlude over, drama now takes over for the remainder of the show. It is perhaps a pity that the next dance remained listed as "Stolen Kiss" because Michael has taken it so far from the original, and it now conveys a story-line that is evocative on several levels and might better be understood if entitled "Spellbound."

THE CASTING OF SPELLS

On the surface it is still the same: good girl versus bad with the hero in the middle. However, there is now so much more to it. After the opening section, when the arrival of the hero disperses the swan's attendants, the atmosphere is changed. It is basically the beautiful courting dance of before but strange moments have been added, creating a sense that the hero is endeavoring to win his love by casting a spell on her and drawing her in. The subtlety of his gesture is probably, missed by many and that is a pity as it is of great importance to the understanding of the whole piece. Also unnoticed, I suspect, is the design of the hero's exquisite gold jacket, as instead of pure Celtic interlace, entwined through the design are seahorse-like creatures. Given that so much of our mythology relates to the sea, and that Lir was son of the King of the sea, I doubt that the motif is accidental. Once again also we have an allegory on foreign culture invading the Irish with aim of dominance, as the temptress bad girl comes in the form of Cleopatra, suitably seductive in brief red sarong and with bare midriff, showing off Arabian flavoured belly-wriggles with wicked eye. The hero is instantly attracted and prowls across the stage with smoldering jungle-stride as only Michael can, to give the seductress a cheeky pinch and be rewarded with a slap in the face for his attentions. That response brings forth a predatory feline growl from him and turns his dance in a flash to that of an imposing matador and apparent master of the courtship.

OLYMPIC DUEL

The choreography is superb, the Flamenco moments blending powerfully with the Irish and modern dance elements. Particularly dramatic is the moment when Cleopatra leaps into the hero's arms, and when released spins away leaving him with a handful of red silk skirt. Her gestures then suggest spell-casting once again, and with him in hot pursuit it seems as though the wicked will win, but the spirits are present and taking a hand. The characters' movements slow as if suddenly caught in a vortex, and all three spin in slow motion as each is magnetized to the others, the swan seeming powerless in her effort to reach and reclaim the hero as he is pulled inexorably towards Cleopatra. Then, a split-second before he succumbs to her, comes the familiar sound of his own melody, the eternal call of his own magic music breaking the spell. Like his creator, he is driven to the brink of doom yet somehow holds on to remain true to his inner self. He shakes his head as he looks around, and with a desperate relief and joy swiftly abandons the temptress and takes back the swan into his arms. Whereupon, of course, the temptress in her anger betrays him to the Evil Lord and the hero's capture ensues. Instead of his execution however he is removed from our sight and it is the Jester, still determined to put forth her joyful spirit and tease her way through life, who is captured and prepared for a brutal end, this time in the guise of a French guillotine.

The drama reaches its peak and all audience attention is finally drawn to focus solely on the fated Jester as she utters a single piercing scream of terror. The fever-pitch moment is perfect dramatic distraction, taking attention neatly from any happenings in the darkness of the arches at the corner of the stage, and when the Evil Lord, wrapped in black leather 'skirt' and hooded like a villain from the movie 'Conan the Barbarian', stalks out brandishing his axe, momentarily the audience are convinced a terrible deed is about to take place. Careful observation of the action give clues however that all is not what it seems, for this evil figure moves with strange poise and grace, his footsteps elegant and measured as he mounts the steps, worlds away from the savage angry stomp of the true villain.

The pretence is of course, as it must be, acted out to the last second, the apparent executioner raising the axe, bringing it down to a fiery explosion and blast of smoke, but as the smoke clears the petrified Jester abruptly realises her life and head are intact, and the audience is not wholly surprised when the hooded figure pulls off his shroud to reveal that a clever switch has taken place in the shadows and he is in fact, miraculously, the Lord of the Dance, the Jester is rescued at last. The depth of the joy exhibited in their embrace is no doubt heightened by Michael's great affection for little Helen Egan, definitive portrayer of the little Spirit/Jester role, who has been a true Star with him in all his shows since Day One of Lord of the Dance.

The moment of light is brief, as onto the scene reappears the enraged Evil Lord, now stripped and bare-chested also, and ready for the final showdown. Michael rips away the leather wrap, and clad only in his sleek black pants, joins his enemy with one athletic leap from the top of the steps. The two men dance their "Duel" shirtless, dramatically effective but in reality one of the most difficult parts of the show to enact successfully. It is the one time when what is right for the scene is almost impossible to pull off. No matter how fine and healthy the young men of Michael's troupe, there is no substitute for the Master's maturity and physique of Olympic fitness, so the match inevitably is visibly unequal. The dance is as slick and skilled as ever, the timing a masterpiece of precision, and in this version at no time does the Lord of the Dance waver. He is in total control from the start. The timing of the duel is vital, for not only must those martial art high kicks look as if they make contact while in fact missing the actual target, but the powerful arm-wrestle spin must have exactly the right speed and number of revolutions to put Stephen Brunning precisely over the trap-door at exactly the right moment and also ensure that Michael is thrown far enough away from the pyros.

For the World Tour "Victory" and "Planet Ireland" remain more or less as they were peformed in Hyde Park in 1998, save that the costumes have been subtly updated. The "Victory" costumes are the most changed, now at once evocative of space age and fairy attire based on nature. Now the skirts are layered leaf-like panels of silver, the shape of the pieces reminiscent of Egyptian warrior costume once more, and the rich black velvet bodices sport silver knotwork motif of a butterfly, perhaps chosen for being a Celtic birthsign, perhaps as one more symbol of free spirit, wand echoed as the centerpiece of Michael's cummerbund. The butterfly motif fits the fantasy content of the show as well, for legend says that when we are children we see fairies and when we grow up we see butterflies. The "Planet Ireland" jumpsuits of 1998 have now been given bold Celtic eternal triangle motifs on the hips, effective contrast to the silver fabric.

Once again for this final dance the stage rises in tiers to several levels, the triumph of all that has been fought for through the mythical adventures. And as always at the end of "Victory" Michael takes great pleasure in introducing his cast (something the critics seem to miss with determination in their bid to paint him as conceited and self-interested), and encouraging the audience to show their appreciation for their achievements.

ULTIMATE CONJURER AND SHOWMAN

Between the finale and encore dance, as in Hyde Park, comes the signature 'Feet of Flames' solo. Two years earlier the world was mesmerized by this creation of Michael's, bemused by it and half convinced it was the ultimate dance that could never be equaled. Perhaps that judgement overlooked the fact that on July 25th 1998 it was but ten days old, produced -- as so often with great art -- under extreme pressure and in a single day of impassioned flight. People often ask, with each new show: "Is Michael as good as he was in his last show?" and the answer for the World Tour is very definitely : "No. He is far better. He is as far beyond where he was in 1998 as he was then beyond 'Riverdance' of 1994, in another league entirely." True, the effect of repeated injury may have caused the knee bends to be less deep at times, the high kicks less numerous, but the moves of the Millennium solo are noticeably faster and the sharpness and complexity of his footwork is mind-blowing. He also has a new power of expression in his movement born of maturity that adds tremendous impact to the dance, and is a very acceptable progression from the lightness of youth. By March 2000 and the start of the new FOF tour, he had developed and honed the indefinable solo incredibly, and it continued to grow through the 100+ performances of the two-year World Tour. Instead of losing quality through repetition and Michael's inevitable exhaustion the dance evolved even further. Study of the 2000 dance and that recorded in July 1998 make an astonishing comparison. In 2000 performing the dance shirtless Michael should by rights have been showing the progress of time, but seemed to have turned back the clock in terms of physique and fitness, and in brilliance had entered another dimension. He always claimed no other dancer could perform the solo, which critics take as conceit, but it is not. It is simply a recognition of the whole requirement of the dance, which goes far beyond the steps. I am sure many of the young champion dancers in his troupe have successfully executed some of the steps, but how could any of them replicate the mature power of effect, which is so much of the impact of the piece? The complexity of the solo defies category, being in flavour and step Irish, Flamenco, tap, all of them and none of them at the same time, and this sophistication must mean many in the average audience have no chance to understand what they see. Yet for all its sophistication this dance works for the mass audience as no other, which is remarkable. Ever the ultimate showman, Michael has developed to perfection the ability to draw on the audience's emotions, using gestures of a conjurer to pull them into participating by clapping to the beat his feet create, daring them with devilish eye to keep pace with him, which of course toward the end becomes an impossibility. Both in gesture and expression, and even with the occasional word, he communicates directly with them, a unique connection, injecting a subtle touch of humour as well, and rousing their senses to fever pitch with an unmatchable display of pure masculine passion. The explosion of pyros with which he vanishes at the end leaves the audience feeling as if they too have been fired through a trap-door with suitable shock of impact.

In retrospect, the World Tour Feet of Flames show stands both as single entity and as the concluding episode in the trilogy of the Lord of the Dance productions, bearing more than a few of the original concepts and numbers. However, the final presentation took Irish dance firmly onto the world arena stage as no other show had done, selling out stadiums and outdoor football arenas across Europe before crossing the Atlantic for a nationwide circuit. Its storyline was certainly the most detailed and intricate of any dance show, its set and costumes richer, its dance content taking the art to even higher level than before, and in comparison to the original Lord of the Dance as filmed in its birth week in Dublin in 1996, it took Michael's work into another dimension. Yet it remained a compromise, and it is tantalising to ponder what he might have created with it if the businessmen involved had had the vision and courage to allow him truly free rein to present a completely new show. When that time came it was five full years later and the page had by then been turned to a very different chapter.

Photos by Sue Roy, Libby Klos and Ann Keller, Stormont, Belfast, July 29th, 2001
Please do not use on other websites without permission.

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