Irish dancing, popularised in 1994 by the world-famous show Riverdance, is notable for its rapid leg and foot movements, body and arms being kept largely stationary.

While he is best known for his Riverdance composition, Whelan has been involved in many ground-breaking projects in Ireland since the 1970s.

This is seen as a precursor to " Riverdance ", which became famous after its performance in 1994.

It is most closely associated with the performances of modern Irish musicians and groups such as Riverdance and Davy Spillane, and is increasingly accepted as a feature of Irish traditional music.

While before long several notable instrument makers were producing low whistles, it is usually the Riverdance tour of the 1990s that is credited with giving the low whistle commercial exposure and recognition outside traditional music circles.

Riverdance is a musical and dancing interval act which originally starred Michael Flatley and Jean Butler and featuring the choir Anúna.

Step dancing is another form of dancing often performed at céilidhs, the form that was popularised in the 1990s by the world-famous Riverdance ensemble.

Because the Soviets are flouting diplomatic immunity, Inspector Clouseau is assigned to recover it in a clandestine, non-cover operation, which annoys him as he was scheduled to go on an ocean cruise to Ireland with his daughter, Agatha, to see the first performance of Riverdance.

Riverdance is a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish stepdancing, known for its rapid leg movements while body and arms are kept largely stationary.

Riverdance is, in summary form, the story of the Irish culture and of the Irish immigration to America.

Riverdance is produced and directed by husband and wife team John McColgan and Moya Doherty, controlled through their production company Abhann Productions, based in Dublin.

In the 1999 Irish dance show, " Dancing on Dangerous Ground ", Gráinne is played by former Riverdance star, Jean Butler.

That same month, Ballagh broke ranks with his colleagues in the traveling production of Riverdance in their decision to perform in Israel.

After successful runs in other cities in Europe, Riverdance travelled to New York City to perform at the legendary Radio City Music Hall in March 1996.

( 1996 ), Gino Vanelli-Colors of Jazz ( 1997 ), Adventure on the High Seas ( 1998 ), The Newsies ( 1999 ), Ego / Alter Ego ( 2000 ), Flight ( 2001 ), 13 2 50, ( 2002 ), West Side Story ( 2003 ), Riverdance ( 2004 ), Cavaliers Go West ( 2005 ), Fantasmic ( 2006 ), Music of Frank Sinatra ( 2007 ), Blood, Sweat, and Tears 40th Anniversary ( 2008 ), Phobias ( 2009 ), Let's Stretch ( 2010 ), and Alla Famiglia ( 2011 ).

In the 1999 Irish dance show " Dancing on Dangerous Ground ", conceived and choreographed by former Riverdance leads, Jean Butler and Colin Dunne, Tony Kemp portrayed Fionn in a modernised version of " The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Grainne.

As time went on, larger places for dance competitions and performances were found, so styles grew to include more movement, more dancing across the stage as seen, for example, in Riverdance.

* 2000 Riverdance opens on Broadway.

* Riverdance on Broadway ( various artists ) ( 2000 )

In the 1999 Irish dance show, " Dancing on Dangerous Ground ", Diarmuid was portrayed by former Riverdance lead, Colin Dunne.

* Eithne Walls, a physician and former dancer, who danced with the popular Riverdance group on Broadway, died on the Air France Flight 447 crash on June 1, 2009.

* Singer and Promoter Michael Londra was a lead singer with Riverdance on Broadway and regularly tours the U. S. with his own show.

Flatley and Jean Butler choreographed the original Riverdance and led the show to great success as the intermission act in the Eurovision Song Contest on April 30, 1994, and then starred in the full-length show that was developed from the seven-minute number.

After touring for 16 years in North America, Riverdance had its final US performance on July 17, 2012 at Wolf Trap.

Riverdance was first performed during the 7-minute interval of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest at the Point Theatre, Dublin on 30 April 1994.

An audio recording of " Riverdance " entered the Irish singles charts at # 1 on 5 May 1994, and remained there throughout the summer ( keeping Wet Wet Wet's phenomenally successful " Love Is All Around " off the top ), eventually totalling a record 18 weeks at # 1.

Many of the dance troupe featured in this performance subsequently went on to dance principal roles in later productions of Riverdance the Show.

In November 1994 tickets were sold in Dublin for the first full-length performance of Riverdance, which opened at the Point Theatre on 9 February 1995.

A video release of Riverdance occurred in the UK on 5 June 1995 which immediately debuted at # 2 before rising to # 1 the following week.

Riverdance also performed at Royal College of Music, London in the presence of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother ; Queen Elizabeth II ; and Princess Margaret on 17 July 1995.

Riverdance went on to more sell-out tours at King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland, and The Green Glens Arena, Millstreet, Co. Cork, Ireland, plus a huge three and a half month return to The Apollo in Hammersmith with astounding advance ticket sales of over five million pounds.

On 1 February 2008, the MS Riverdance ferry, while undertaking a regular sailing from Northern Ireland to Heysham under severe stormy conditions, ran aground on the beach, close to the boundary with Blackpool.

Other performances included The Corrs and the largest Riverdance troupe ever assembled on one stage.

Choral music in Ireland has produced Anúna, Ireland's National Choir, known for their contribution to Riverdance in the early 1990s.

Radio Ireland Limited, originally owned by John McColgan and Moya Doherty ( and because of their involvement, dubbed " Radio Riverdance "), won the contract when it was advertised.

The result, Riverdance, was a seven-minute display of traditional Irish dancing that became a full-length stage production and spawned a worldwide craze for Irish dancing and celtic music.

However, the most successful genres have been rock, popular and traditional fusion, with performers such as U2, Enya, Westlife, Boyzone, Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy, Gary Moore, Rory Gallagher, Horslips, Bob Geldof and The Boomtown Rats, Clannad, Stiff Little Fingers, Altan, Frank Patterson, The Corrs, The Dubliners, The Chieftains, The Bothy Band, De Dannan, The Divine Comedy, Josef Locke, The Irish Tenors, Van Morrison, Therapy ?, The Saw Doctors, Planxty, The Wolfe Tones, Snow Patrol, The Cranberries, In Tua Nua, The Undertones, Ash, B * Witched, Nadine Coyle, The Hothouse Flowers, The Script, Two Door Cinema Club, Something Happens, The Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem, Dana, Mundy, Sinéad O ' Connor, Paul Brady, Christy Moore, Dónal Lunny, Val Doonican, Ronnie Drew, Luke Kelly, Ruby Murray, Peter Cunnah ( of D: Ream ), Daniel O ' Donnell, Bridie Gallagher, Brendan Bowyer, Gilbert O ' Sullivan, Mary Black, Sir James Galway, Johnny Logan, Bill Whelan ( of Riverdance fame ), Damien Rice, Phil Coulter, Glen Hansard, and Celtic Woman achieving success nationally and internationally.

He became internationally known for Irish dance shows Riverdance, Lord of the Dance, Feet of Flames, and Celtic Tiger.

In response to the Rwandan Genocide of May / June 1994, a video of the Eurovision interval performance was then released by the Irish broadcaster Radio Telefís Éireann under the title " Riverdance for Rwanda " with all proceeds going to the Rwanda Appeal Disasters Joint Appeal Committee.

In the early 1980s seven-time world champion step-dancer, Michael Flatley toured the world with The Chieftains and performed five solo dances ( including a triple spin ) at Carnegie Hall, New York, in a defining moment that led more than a decade later to a show at the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin that soon developed into the Irish dance extravaganza the world came to know as Riverdance Jean Butler, one of the original leads, also worked with The Chieftains.

Each program features exclusive interviews, intimate performances and archival clips from some of the greatest Irish artists of our time including: The Chieftains, The Clancy Brothers, The Dubliners, U2, The Cranberries, Celtic Woman, Riverdance, Sinéad O ' Connor, Bob Geldof and many others.

In 1995, she replaced the original fiddler in the Riverdance Irish dance troupe and toured with them.