Purdue News

December 31, 2002 'Lord of the Dance' coming to Elliott Hall in January WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Michael Flatley's "Lord of the Dance," the international dance sensation that has broken box office records in more than 30 countries, will be presented at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19, in Elliott Hall of Music. Admission is $38, $32, $27 and $12 for general public, $28, $23, $20 and $12 for Purdue students and children K-12. Tickets can be purchased at Purdue box offices or charged by phone at (765) 494-3933 or (800) 914-SHOW. Tickets also are available at all Ticketmaster outlets. "Lord of the Dance" is presented by Purdue Convocations. Audiences across the United States, Canada and Mexico have experienced "Lord of the Dance," which has helped catapult Irish dancing into the global spotlight and created a new wave of interest in Celtic dance. In less than five years, the show has attracted a worldwide audience of 50 million people. Michael Flatley, who originated the role of the Lord, serves as the artistic director and continues to oversee all aspects of the production. The first American to win the All-World Championship in Irish Dance, Flatley opened the show in Dublin in 1996. "Our goal is to take the audience on a wondrous adventure that will ignite their minds and souls," Flatley said. "We've combined traditional and modern forms of dance to create a high-octane blend with soulful beats and feet that move too fast to comprehend." Flatley is listed by The Guinness Book of World Records for having "the world's fastest feet" — at 35 taps per second. Described by the New York Post as "fascinating, rewarding and above all, entertaining," and by the Los Angeles Times as "a showpiece extravaganza," "Lord of the Dance" combines traditional and modern Celtic music and dance. The story, based on old Irish folklore, is a classic tale of good versus evil as Don Dorcha, the Dark Lord, challenges the Lord of the Dance. It also is a love story expressed through dance numbers that transport audiences into a mystical world of passion. The action is played out on a grand scale with precision dancing, dramatic music, colorful costumes, state-of-art staging, lighting and pyrotechnics. The "Lord of the Dance" troupe is composed of Irish dance champions from around the world. These performers stretch the boundaries of a traditional dance form that has evolved over more than 2,000 years. "It's not done like ballet. It's not done like tap. And its not done like Flamenco," Flatley said. "It's something that I had to create from scratch because nothing else would fit there." "This show has entertained audiences and thrilled critics around the globe," said Lee Marshall, President of Magic Arts & Entertainment and the tour promoter. "It combines so many different elements – drama, music and unforgettable dance numbers." CONTACT: Larry Sommers, Purdue Convocations, (765) 494-5045, lsommers@purdue.edu. NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: A publication-quality photograph from "Lord of the Dance" is available at ftp://ftp.purdue.edu/pub/uns/lord.jpeg. Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page