This is not my first visit to the Visitor's Book but is my first time posting. Mr. Flatley, I have been thinking for some time to get the right words to tell you how you have affected me. I am not easily impressed. I am a somewhat cynical, very conservative 52 year old, 30 years married, the father of 7. One day I was channel surfing and just happened to hit on the opening sequence of Riverdance on PBS. I was interested and kept watching. Then you made your entrance and I was stunned. I thought "Who is this wild gael...he could be Finn MacCool himself!" Then your performance progressed and you led the rest of the troop on stage and I thought "It is Finn MacCool and he is back to lead the Fianna Fail again." Since then I have been a Flathead. My son got me the Riverdance tape for Christmas and I played it constantly, always repeating the "Reel Around the Sun" sequence. One day, last January, I was in a video store and saw "Lord of the Dance." I grabbed the tape, paid for it, and rushed home. I played the tape immediately. As "Cry of the Celts" began I could feel my pulse rising. Then you exploded on stage from the curtain of red lights and, despite the fact that I was anticpating the spectacular, I was stunned again. Every time I see the tape I fell the anticipation rising and every time I am not dissapointed. I am afraid that I will be now. Last July 25th my wife and I saw your live performance at McNichol's Arena and the energy that you generate in life performance is so far above the pale trickle that comes through on video that I was stunned again. I wish now that I had stayed after the performance and waited at the stage entrance for the chance to meet you and tell you what I felt. Once again, the pale, electronic reflection will have to suffice. I would like to add a bit more. I have read in other areas how some people castigate you as being arrogant and egotistical...I, obviously among many, do not believe it. I spent 30 years in the intelligence game. I search for patterns and seek to learn the reality of things that you cannot experience directly by studying what surrounds it. I see what people who have met you say, especially about how you deal with children and how they react to you. You can't fool a child, they see your heart. After studying your actions in your performances on tape and live and analyzing what those who have met you say, I believe I know your secret. You don't dance for the money, although it must be nice to be rich after your years in the wilderness. You don't dance for your ego's sake, for the lights, the applause and the cheers. I do believe, however, that it truely makes you glad to bring us joy. I believe that you would dance alone in a windowless room. I believe that you dance for the reason a thorobred will race the wind when it has no other challenger. You dance because you must...and I am glad you do. Thank you.
Jim Isom
Lakewood, CO - Saturday, August 16, 1997

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Why do I love LOTD? I usually don't like to analyze things too much, but I was wondering 'why'? Why this show? Why this man? The show brings out deep emotions in me. LOTD affects people across a broad spectrum of emotion, anywhere from 'how very entertaining' to 'life changing - I will never be the same', and that's OK, and you see that in the comments the VB generates, but if it doesn't move you at SOME level, I believe you are prematurely dead! These are my reasons for loving it. 1. Because deep down beyond the pain of broken romances and divorce I still believe in the truest of loves and when Michael dances with Bernadette, he is the tender lover every woman wants to believe in, who will prove worthy of her love. 2. Because when Gillian dances as the temptress, my spirit cries "you too have the same passionate, wild, free spirit that is sensual, playful and joyful" but is too often hidden under piles of laundry, business meetings and picking up after kids. 3. Because I long for a hero to protect the innocent and the helpless against the bullies of the world, and when Michael rescues the Little Spirit, that longing for a 'superman' emerges who would save the children of the world from playground bullies to predators. 4. Because I long for good to triumph over evil and I believe in God's time it will. But while the media tries to drown me daily in the combined woes of the entire world for one brief moment when Michael defeats Don Dorcha, I get my way and celebrate the win with him. 5. Because drums and rhythm move me on a primitive level and as Michael dances he creates a fast pounding rhythm that excites me, and when he invites the other dancers to join in the rhythm, and the speed and sound of the tapping increase exponentially, my excitement increases and intensifies to match it until I am breathless and thrilled as it builds to a crescendo that leaves me at a screaming fever pitch. 6. Because I admire anyone who fights long and hard to make their dreams come true and who doesn't give up. 7. Because he's using the talents and abilities God gave him and it's a wake up call to me to do the same. 8. Because he's drop dead gorgeous, confident, sexy, eyes that melt you, a smile that beguiles, unbidden thoughts of "leave your tap shoes under my bed any night..." wickedly dance in your head 9. Because he LOVES giving us this gift each night. It's in his face. "This is my gift to you. This is my absolute best! Do you like my present?" Our response leaves him no doubt!! YES, YES, YES!!!!!!!
Camille - Seattle, WA

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I'd like to share the following quote from Jacques d"Amboise (formerly of the New York City Ballet): "Every once in a while you see dancers ..... they transcend a person .... they become a conduit for a force .... like the muse of dance or the goddess of dance... using a person as a window to express or communicate something. And that person becomes transformed into something bigger than just a beautiful dancer." Remind you of anyone we know? (Hint -- starts with an "M".)
Claire, Los Angeles, CA

Like others, I have also wondered if this current 'Michael Mania' is the same as 'Elvis' or the 'Beatles'. I agree that there are strong similarities. However, I still get the sense on a deep spiritual level that this is different somehow. Looking at it from the 'big picture' it is interesting to note man kind's evolution. We have gone from cave dwellers and frequent world wars to environmental concern and reemerging spiritual awareness. Maybe Michael is representative of the times we are living in...that his depth and scope of impact is affecting us more profoundly on all levels - mind, body, spirit and emotion. We have evolved and are more aware as a race. I feel the entire planet is evolving and reaching a higher and more spiritually attuned energetic vibration. I think we're all undergoing growth and change in this regard. Michael has offered a milieu...fostered a unity where by all these evolving soul's may unite, encourage and support one another in their growth while creating a powerful loving force in the world. There is strength in numbers and in unity. I can only reflect on my own personal experience in this regard and from what I see going on around me with my own family and friends when this kind of spiritual awareness and intent is put into practice. Our thoughts are very powerful and if this large group of people world wide have shifted their thinking from dwelling on the negative to the positive, it is bound to have a tremendous effect for the entire planet. So, I'm putting my money on joining in and adding my voice, my heart, my thoughts and soul essence into sending that 'positive loving energy' out into the world. This phenomenon is bigger that all of us and it needed to happen.
Laurie BC Canada - Sunday,

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Besides all the obvious phenomenal attributes, accomplishments and creative genius qualities that Michael Flatley possesses, there is something deeper to the reason Lord of the Dance has become the phenomenon that it has. Michael has created a piece of work that rivals the genius of Mozart. Mozart's melodies and rhythms affect people on the subconscious and cellular level. Scientists have actually studied what his music does to people on these levels. Mozart was able to tap into a vein of the universe's hidden magic and literally change people's state of mind and psyche. Michael's true genius has enabled him to tap(no pun intended)into that same vein in the form of his dance and its rhythm patterns. Mind you, sex appeal and confidence like his is pretty overwhelming too. I'll see Lord of the Dance live this month and no doubt will be amazed. Michael you have created a legacy to the Celtic culture and to yourself.
Erin June 07, 1997

Being a fan of classical music, I've also read where Mozart literally affects the physiology of the brain, actually creating a chemical reaction that enhances creativity! I'm sure Michael does the same thing - it may not even be conscious, he just DOES IT! Like Larry King said, people with the fire can never explain it - they just DO it. As with Mozart, I'm sure the rhythm patterns are integral. Like I've said earlier, how many times is your LOTD CD on in the background, you're not even paying attention to it, and all of a sudden the taps portion comes on and you jerk to attention, or smile to yourself?!?!? And how Michael said he created for weeks on the acappella portion of LOTD, alone in a darkened room so he could hear the rhythm without the visual input. It seems steady, yet is very syncopated and unexpected at times, leaving silence where you expect a downbeat. Sometimes I don't even hear the music in my head anymore, just the tapping patterns. It's invigorating! As wonderful as Michael's person is, and as moving Ronan's music (built around MF's rhythm) most of us can't explain the effect it's having on us. Just a show, right? Just a man? No. You're NOT crazy or over the edge, take heart! I think Michael's become a conduit. He uses the senses to bypass the physical and transport us to a place that is inside all of us, we just don't visit that often. Some get there by prayer, meditation, reflection, creating music, prose, etc. or DREAMING. But I don't think we're used to being taken there by someone and something as free, fired and energetic as LOTTED. For those who see it as just a show, they enjoy it and move on. But read these posts! So many are mesmerized, captivated and don't know why. Perhaps we all have more in common than we think, it just takes a visionary to show it to us. Thanks to Michael for making the journey as enjoyable as getting there!
Mitzi Indiana, - Sunday, June 08, 1997

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I've seen several comments at various times in this VB about the ‘degrading' nature of the costumes the girls wore in LOTD. I've thought about this long and hard and have to put in my $.02. I have always been a fan of dance, but never have I seen a dance form for women (perhaps with the exception of Flamenco) that is at once as sensuous yet powerfully strong! When I saw LOTD in Milwaukee I was so close to the stage and I amazed at the strength and beauty of the women's different body types...tall, short, slender, muscular...they were all there and there because of their talent. A dance such as ballet has pretty much one standard of body for the female (and it looks like it could use a big steak!). The women's choreography in LOTD celebrates all the beauty of being a woman...strength, grace, athleticism, tenderness, sensuality, playfulness, regret. The dance in which they pull off their dresses (Breakout) is, I think, more about power and strength than exploitation. They wear athletic clothing (not pantyhose!) and celebrate their sex openly...whereas a character such as Morrighan slinks around in a red dress and uses sex as a weapon. In the "Siamsa" all the joy and energy of the clan of the Celts is celebrated in a breathtaking display of color. The girls are dressed brightly, comfortably, but I don't see that it is cheesy or inappropriate at all because the costumes are obviously not designed to titillate the audience. If that were the main concern, the body types would have been more uniform and the costumes FAR more revealing. LOTD is all about celebrating life and part of life is evolution. The stiff-armed dance has evolved into something representative in this forum. The traditions are honored to a degree; but do the girls have to be garbed in heavy brocaded dresses in order to be considered ‘respectable'? Just who is degrading whom here? Pardon me for rambling on...(just call me Zammi ;) Ok. I'll shut up now. Hugs to you all!
Sara - Monday, June 02, 1997

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