The music, the magic, and the dancing -- it's what has kept the world's most successful Irish dance show on top.
"It's great for anyone, the family can come out to it," said Katie Kerrigan, a cast member of Lord of the Dance. "It's just such a unique show that everybody just seems to enjoy. It's an amazing performance that comes through to everybody."
Michael Flatley's "Lord of the Dance" has grossed more than $800 million worldwide and has toured across 68 different countries. Tuesday night at 7:30, it comes to the Salem Civic Center for a one-night engagement.
The music and dance spectacular is based on mythical Irish folklore.
"It's a great good versus evil storyline," said Matt Smith, a cast member of Lord of the Dance. "We've got a great love story in there as well, and 40 dancers dancing at the same time. It's always very hard hitting."
Hard hitting and fast -- unbelievably fast. According to the show's producers, cast members complete approximately 151,200 taps per show.
"We have to make sure that we are doing them in sync," said Tom Cunningham, a cast member of Lord of the Dance. "It's milliseconds we work in, not in seconds. So it's very important for all of us to be able to work together.
Cunningham, Kerrigan, Smith, and most of the cast have been Irish dancing since they were young children. Now, they're among the best and most decorated dancers in the world. And when they hit the stage Tuesday night, that won't be lost on the audience.
The show begins at 7:30pm. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at the Salem Civic Center box office or online at ticketmaster.com.
Credit: Brian Doherty
