Lord of the Dance

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I admitted earlier in the week that I am not sure I am 'officially' Irish, but I do know for sure that on March 17th each year my Celtic side joyfully appears and dances its way through my heart and my family.  It's a day of fun for me....leprechaun soup and Irish soda bread, a favorite Irish movie or two (the 1952 classic The Quiet Man and Darby O'Gill and the Little People are the consistent winners, although we also enjoy the the 1992 Tom Cruise/Nicole Kidman movie Far and Away).  I can't get anyone to watch The Fighting Prince of Donegal with me, though, so I guess I'll have to save that for a day I'm home alone!  

The music is special too....Sir James Galway and his lilting Irish flute, the Chieftains, Celtic Woman and Loreena McKennit all share space on our CD shelf.  But there is one CD that we've replaced TWICE because we've worn it out, and that is the favorite thing I'm sharing with you today....Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance.  The music makes my spirits soar, my heart fill with gladness and my toes tap.  When my children were little and squabbling, it was the miracle cure for grumpiness.  Five measures into the first song and they were giggling and dancing around the house.  Most of my housework was done to this cd, as I sang and danced my way up and down the stairs on the way to the laundry room.  Somehow even dirty laundry didn't seem so daunting when these melodies were sweeping through my home. 

 I would love to share with you the picture of my youngest son doing a darned good Michael Flatley imitation at his elementary school talent show (complete with headband and that Flatley swagger) but a mother knows some things probably should stay within the family.  Unless, of course, he ever screws up, and then the picture's fair game.  That, by the way, is why mothers take so many pictures---you never know when a little blackmail will help keep a child in line!  He looked just like this, except he was nine and I made him wear a shirt. 

 

 

My family has been blessed to have seen the show live twice and both times it was a night of magic.  This special Irish music and dance production was choreographed and produced by Irish-American dance Michael Flatley, with music written by Ronan Hardiman.  Last night my son, (he of talent show Irish clogging/toe tapping fame) made dinner for us and while he was cooking, what was on the cd player?  You guessed it!

If you are familiar with the music from Lord of the Dance, then you probably understand my passion for the hauntingly beautiful love songs, the flashy and virtuosic violin solos, the lilting melody of the Irish flute softly calling to us.  I love the beautiful melody of Lord of the Dance as it transforms itself from a well loved hymn based on the American Shaker song 'Simple Gifts' into a heart pounding, show-stopping finale. (Lord of the dance melody

If you aren't familiar with the music, here is the energetic, infectious, make you get up and dance finale as a St. Patrick's gift to you.  I dare you to sit still.! Slainte'!!

 

Lord of the Dance finale   

(click here to watch the video finale)

I'm linking today with Mockingbird Hill Cottage and Favorite Thing Saturday, so you can also find me at:

http://mockingbirdhillcottage.com/