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Ask #LordOfTheDance fans which numbers are their favorites, and Stolen Kiss will almost always be on that list. Here we see it performed during the #FeetOfFlames Impossible Tour, featuring Matt Smith as the Lord of the Dance, Erin-Kate Mcilravey as Saoirse, and Andrea Papp-Krén as Morrighan. Stolen Kiss has been through a few notable iterations over the twenty-five-year history of the show. The original version can be seen in the commercial video releases from 1996, 1998, 2009, and 2011. A very amped-up version with some different music and simulated slow-motion dancing can be seen in the “Gold“ video, filmed during the Feet of Flames World Tour in 2000. The Dangerous Games version, featuring a twist ending, made its debut in the 2014 video -- and can be seen again here in the 2020 video. What's remained consistent, though, is the core theme: love versus lust. Remember, these characters are archetypes -- and the hero resisting the temptress is as old a storytelling device as the Monomyth itself. In the classic Hero's Journey story structure, the hero must overcome many trials, often including temptation through lust. It is no different than Malory's Galahad on his quest for the Holy Grail, or Homer's Odysseus resisting the Sirens. What makes *this* version so interesting, however, are the performers involved. When Michael Flatley performed the role, he was the undisputed king of the ring in the world of #IrishDancing, a megastar who cultivated a certain flamboyant PR image to sell tickets. The natural sexual tension he brings to all of his dancing as an authoritative older male dictated the flow of the scene. This changed in 2014 with the Dangerous Games video; James Keegan was a younger Lord, but still carried a strong aura of authoritative earnestness about him; you just knew that he'd do the right thing in the end. Matt Smith, on the other hand, . Matt's interpretation of the Lord is much more youthful, brash, and cocky. His swagger is tempered with certain roguish impetuousness that's disarming, allowing him to have a bad-boy edge while still remaining endearing to the audience. It's very telling that right before the end of the number, it's Saoirse -- played brilliantly here by Erin-Kate Mcilravey -- who actually steps in and asserts her authority over Morrighan, rather than the Lord rejecting Morrighan; it's a subtle but distinct difference in the choreography, because it implies that Morrighan might just succeed. (Another subtle difference you might overlook: for the trivia buffs in the back, we're reasonably certain that this version of the Saoirse costume actually has the *lowest* hemline ever used. For all the occasional chatter of how female hemlines seemed to creep ever higher with each successive iteration of Lord of the Dance in its early years, the show's a quarter of a century old now -- and those hemlines have come way down.) And this Morrighan, in particular, knows nothing *but* success. This is Andrea Papp-Kren, whose interpretation of Morrighan is pure fire and authority. This is not a coquettish teenage flirt; this is a *maneater.* Andrea's Morrighan is a goddess of molten steel, and when she emerges onstage, the Lord of the Dance is nothing more than a prized snack to her. If you assume Morrighan is based on the Celtic legend of The Mórrígan, then all of this tracks. In myth, Mórrígan is associated with war and fate, especially with foretelling doom, death or victory in battle. She is an Earth goddess -- the guardian of the land and its people. Where this iteration of Stolen Kiss takes a major twist compared to the classic version is at the very end; Morrighan now actively delivers the Lord to Don Dorcha, putting him in position for his final heroic trial. Notably, however, Andrea does something completely unique: look at the expression of *hurt* on her face when Morrighan is rejected. One could argue that the character of Morrighan is the loneliest character in the cycle of Planet Ireland: the price of her power is that she is cursed as a goddess to lure false heroes to their doom, and to never know the simple joy of love that she sees true heroes enjoy with Saoirse. There's a lot going on sub rosa with Lord of the Dance, if you take time to study its layers -- and the feel of the show changes considerably depending on the performers who bring it to life. Of course, as always, you can simply recline back and enjoy the emotional rollercoaster of the dancing. Both approaches are completely valid. This is Feet of Flames: The Impossible Tour. This is Stolen Kiss. And this is the New Generation. #FollowYourDream
