The real Lord of the Dance: How Michael Flatley took the world by storm
By Kahla Preston|
Maybe you saw him spinning and leaping across the stage when one of his shows came to Australia.
Maybe your family owned recordings of his performances on VHS to revisit the magic over and over again.
Maybe your mum had a bit of a crush on him, admiring his swivelling hips and lightning-fast feet.
Or, perhaps your one and only memory is of seeing his face flash up on your TV screen in ads promoting those same stage shows.
READ MORE: Inside Kesha's big public comeback to music after years
Regardless of your level of interaction, chances are you're familiar with Michael Flatley of Riverdance – which is heading to Australia for its 25th anniversary in April – and Lord of the Dance fame.
The American-Irish dancer is often credited with catapulting Irish dance onto the global stage, with his shows being played to millions of people.
Read on to find out more.
How Riverdance was born - and why he left
Flatley started dancing at 11 and soon made a name for himself in the world of Irish dancing, but it wasn't until 1994 that his profile really took off.
READ MORE: Paul Simon reveals the leadup to Simon & Garfunkel split
Flatley was asked to create an intermission show for that year's Eurovision Song Contest, held in Ireland – and the first iteration of Riverdance was born.
After a huge response from millions of viewers, that seven-minute performance was evolved into a full-length stage show.
Riverdance became a huge sensation, touring worldwide. It was also featured in the 1994 Royal Variety Performance.
However, Flatley left the production in 1995. There were reportedly contract disputes, and interview comments indicate he had wanted more "control" over the show.
READ MORE: Celebrities you didn't know were in iconic music videos
"I just wanted control over the work that I had created myself. That's all. I don't think that that's too much to ask," he's quoted as saying.
The rise of Lord of the Dance
Flatley went on to launch his own show, Lord of the Dance, which debuted in 1996 and later expanded into Feet of Flames.
Like Riverdance, Lord of the Dance became embedded in the pop cultural zeitgeist, and it was even performed during the 1997 Oscars.
To the delight of fans, Flatley returned to headline the show for its 2010 Return Tour.
Following the success of Lord of the Dance, Flatley created another show, Celtic Tiger, which opened in 2005.
He's also recorded TV specials, released an album of flute tracks, created artworks with his feet by dancing on painted canvases, and has most recently written, directed, financed and starred in a spy film.
Flatley retired from dancing in 2016, with his final performance coming in a farewell show in the US called Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games.
In 2017, Flatley made an appearance that raised eyebrows, introducing his Lord of the Dance troupe as they performed during Donald Trump's inauguration as US president.
Why did Michael Flatley retire?
The performer's incredible on-stage career took a toll on his body.
In 2015, he told the Daily Mail he was "always in pain" a result of strain and damage to various parts of his body.
"I've wrecked my body with dance. I can't say I wasn't warned and I can't say I haven't loved every single minute of putting myself into this state," he said.
"But physically I'm a mess. I have a recurring broken bone in my right foot which just spontaneously breaks itself.
"My hamstrings are ruined, my groin is gone and I've done irreparable damage to two points of my spine – T1 and T6."
Flatley has properties in various locations around the world but primarily lives in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Health issues
In January 2023, it was revealed Flatley had been diagnosed with an "aggressive form of cancer" at age 64. The kind of cancer has not been disclosed.
"He has undergone surgery and is in the care of an excellent team of doctors," a post on his official Instagram read.
In August that year, Flatley said the diagnosis came as a "punch of the solar plexus" given he had been through cancer before.
"It's a long hard road. I'm not going to lie. I've already made up my mind: I'm on the other side of that wall. I will not be defeated," Flatley told the Irish Examiner.
"Somehow or other I will beat this. I've beaten cancer before, I'll beat it again."
The Riverdance legend was previously diagnosed with skin cancer in 2003.
The first sign had been spotted by an MTV viewer when Flatley was interviewed during the fifth anniversary celebration of Lord of the Dance in Las Vegas.MTV.
The person noticed a brown spot on the side of his face and contacted his assistant, advising him to visit the doctor. It turned out to be a malignant melanoma.
"It was purely by chance that it was noticed. I had never even noticed it … it can be a frightening place to be," Flatley said in an interview.
"[The doctor] said if I had let it go a few more weeks there was probably nothing he could have done for me."
Love life
Flatley is married to fellow dancer Niamh O'Brien, who performed in many of his shows.
They announced their engagement in 2006 and married later that year, going on to welcome a son, Michael St. James.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
Flatley was previously engaged to model and TV star Lisa Murphy during the early 2000s.
Sadly, Murphy died aged 52 earlier this year, having lived with a serious medical condition in recent years.
"It's heartbreaking. She was a lovely, caring person," Flatley said of his ex-fiancee after the news was announced.
