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Everyone knows that Michael Flatley irrevocably changed Irish dancing with Lord of the Dance. But what *is* his art form? On one level, it's the upper body movements. Using facial expressions, using the arms, bringing a certain swagger and sexiness to what was -- let's be honest -- a very sterilized form of dance. Literally any time you see a professional Irish dancer veering outside the narrow confines of traditional form and movement in Irish dance, they're entering the house that Michael Flatley built. But it's deeper than that. It's the hardshoe rhythm patterns themselves. Nothing in the world looks or sounds like a Michael Flatley rhythm pattern. You can lump in one of his rhythm patterns with half a dozen other rhythm patterns from other choreographers, and his will always be the one that stands out. Don't believe us? Then why is it that even Michael's first show, which unceremoniously removed him, still uses his choreography and rhythm patterns a quarter of a century later? Those rhythms just sound *right,* don't they. Are there more intricate patterns out there today? Sure. After a quarter of a century, the competition scene is producing some amazingly complex movements, far beyond what was seen in competition a generation ago. The Flatley Effect on Irish competition dancing has been enormous; Michael's famous work ethic and dedication to physical training, coupled with his focus on being the fastest and the most electrifying, is still the gold standard by which all other Irish dancers must measure themselves. You don't get to be the first American world champion of Irish dancing -- in 1975, no less -- by being anything *less* than the absolute best. But there's a catch with some of the new rhythm patterns coming out today: by shoehorning taps into every possible millisecond of space, there's a risk of a rhythm pattern sounding too jampacked. Yes, Michael is famous for using drop-heels and increasing the average taps-per-second in this form of dance, and his shows such as Lord of the Dance and Celtic Tiger feature the most hardcore professional Irish dancing in the world, but notice how clean his rhythm patterns sound? How they just ebb and flow in a natural, aurally-pleasing way? Music is as much the silence between the notes as it is the notes themselves. And in a dance form where you can hear the dance as well as see the dance, this same wisdom is true. You can't have all speed, all flash, all basic treble-backs, et cetera; the magic is in the right mixture of the ingredients. This also goes one layer deeper. Michael is famous for creating dance dramas. Listen carefully to the rhythm patterns for the good guy versus the bad guy in Lord of the Dance; they sound as incredibly distinct as voices. This is a subtle aural distinction between the characters which, to our knowledge, no one has ever pointed out even though it's front and center. This is the real distinction between Michael's art form and the rest of the field: instead of it just being a technical showcase, his choreography and rhythm patterns are designed to tell a story. They're designed to evoke *emotion.* A Michael Flatley show is built with one purpose in mind: to uplift your spirits and fill you with joy, no matter where you come from, how old you are, or what language you speak. And that's how you take an obscure cultural dance form and transform it into something that can sell out a stadium. It is a rare and beautiful gift Michael possesses; that he built an entirely new genre of entertainment out of it -- the professional Irish dance show -- is a blessing which has employed countless numbers of Irish people across the planet for decades. And this art form he created atop Irish dancing is, to this day, unique in its ability to produce a catharsis of joy in those who witness it. Thus, Michael's message -- to follow one's dream -- becomes that much mroe poignant. There was a time when all the world looked at Mike Flatley as simply an uneducated day laborer with a passion for an odd hobby; through sheer force of will, hard work, and pure grit, that narrative was changed after thirty-five years of toil -- and the world changed with it. If *you* have a dream, then *follow* it. It doesn't matter if you're literally the only person in the world who believes in it. Dance when nobody's watching, so that you're ready to dance when *everybody's* watching. #FollowYourDream Like and Subscribe for the latest videos from Michael Flatley and Lord of the Dance Get Lord of the Dance tickets and tour dates at our official site
