“Lord of the Dance” creator Michael Flatley has undergone surgery and is under medical care for an aggressive form of cancer, according to a statement on the creator’s Instagram account.
“Michael Flatley has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. He has undergone surgery and is in the care of an excellent team of doctors. No further comments will be made at this time,” the statement released Wednesday night said.
The 64-year-old Irish American dancer-choreographer rose to stardom as a lead member of “Riverdance” troupe which premiered on the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest and propelled Irish dancing into the global spotlight. The stage production opened at Dublin’s Point Theatre on Feb. 9, 1995, at a time of renewed Irish optimism and pride surrounding the onset of the booming “Celtic Tiger” economy. It has toured the world many times over.
The two-hour “Riverdance” show is loosely based on the story of Irish culture and mass immigration to America, the story woven through music and dance styles including flamenco and tap. Most of the dancing is drawn from traditional Irish step dancing, in which the arms and body move little while the feet create the sound and action.
He later opened his own “Lord of the Dance” show and returned to the spotlight in 2005 with “Celtic Tiger,” a show about the history of Ireland and civil unrest that led to various freedoms in the country.
Flatley was born and raised in Chicago, and graduated from Brother Rice High School.
His brand of fancy footwork has been described as electrifying; in his prime, his 28-taps-a-second dancing feet were unmatched by anyone on the planet and earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for “fastest feet in the world.” He retired from full-time touring in 2016.
Read more at usatoday.com
Contributing: Sun-Times reporter Miriam Di Nunzio
