“Riverdance” connects audience with nature

FORT SMITH — Riverdance, the original Irish dance production now in its 17th year, performed to a near-capacity crowd on Thursday (Feb. 23) at the Arkansas Best Corp. Performing Arts Center.

The show is on a farewell tour of North America but will continue with performances overseas.

In the opening scene of the show, the audience is introduced to themes of nature such as fire, thunderstorms and the seasons. Intertwined with these are the roles of men and women — both as they relate to one another and to the forces of nature in their environment of Ireland.

The second act takes the audience into a more modern era. The Irish potato famine in the mid 1800s forces a native culture to immigrate to a new world, America. Their challenges are expressed in dance as they blend Celtic tradition with American culture. The yearning for the homeland is ever-present despite a successful assimilation. The performance concludes with Irish returning to visit Ireland to find completeness.

Riverdance attempts to explore the circular and cyclical patterns of nature and man but the real stars of the show are the music and the dance. The special effects of fog and lightning, as well as the huge projection screen displaying images of the theme, are really not necessary although they do add to the drama and make the performance more appealing. Listening to and watching many hard-shoe dancers in perfect harmony with pounding percussion is the real treat. Throw in a bit of soft shoe and Spanish-style dance and you have a well-rounded show that transitions pleasantly from high energy to mellow moods.

“It’s wonderful. I wasn't sure what to expect. I was blessed with these tickets so I knew it was dancing and they can move their feet," said Rae Deal of Greenwood who attended with her husband and daughter, Heaven. Deal was given the tickets by a family in her church that was unable to attend.

Karin Hobbs, the center's sales director, said more than 1,023 tickets were sold for the facility that seats 1,331.