Review: The Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show Makes a Weekend Stop at The Fox

The worldwide phenomenon is back, this weekend only at The Fabulous Fox Theatre.

Riverdance is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a new tour, and the timeless celebration of Irish and international dance is better than ever.

This breathtaking display of singing, dancing, and music never gets old. It is unbelievable what the performers do on-stage – whether it is the magnificently synchronized Irish stepdance or the beautiful sounds of the Grammy Award-winning score. And it isn’t only dancing – the singing is phenomenal!

There isn’t a weak spot in the show, with the remarkably talented cast. I didn’t notice a single step out of place the entire evening, as the performers would glide across the stage with their powerful movements. This in combination with the 4-piece band and singing makes for an extremely moving experience.

The costumes are all dazzling, with several changes throughout each act. It’s always wonderful to see the bright and colorful outfits made to pair with the traditional songs and dances.

Mark Alfred plays percussion throughout and gets a crowd-pleasing solo during the second act. Meanwhile, Tara Howley is on the Tin Whistle, Emma Frampton on Saxophone, while Haley Richardson plays the Fiddle. All of these musicians are great.

The new version has spared no expense when it comes to the production values, with fantastic lighting effects and an enormous screen in the background that helps to tell the story. The visuals of the gorgeous Irish landscapes, oceans, sun and moon, stars – all mesmerizing and captivating.

As mentioned previously, all of the dancers were terrific. And there are two lead dancers featured in each show – here both Maggie Darlington and Jason O’Neill were nothing short of incredible to behold. Their dancing – together and separately –  is simply put, stunning.

Other standouts are the Russian dancers (Alisa Bashirova, Katia Brovkina, Rifat Gabdulkhakov, Aleksandr Safonov, Ana Turcan, and Eugeniu Turcan) who get very acrobatic, the Flamenco dancer (Rocio Montoya), and the New York dancers (Lamont Brown and Tyler Knowlin) – who display an impressive American flair with their spellbinding tap.

Don’t miss the chance to see this fantastic new production while it is town. It’s a wonderful show for all ages and offers a great view of several international cultures that audiences are sure to enjoy. I’ve seen the show a few times now, and I’m already hoping it comes back soon.

The Riverdance 25th Anniversary Tour is playing The Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis Feb. 14-16. Tickets are available via MetroTix. For more information, visit the official tour website or fabulousfox.com.