„Ferrari of Irish Dance in the world”

The force of Gaelic dance is telling a story of unhappy love

Spontaneous Irish music

Every detail of artistic appear Gaelforce Dance is live!

Sound of tap-dance live amplified by using minimicrophones!

Large amount of Irish emigrants in Australy conserved their domestic traditions, including also an Irish dance style. It was especially this aspect, that inspired a formation of dance group, that from a start has been leaded by Irish musician and composer,  Michael Durkan, experienced also by cooperation with another Irish dance group RiverDance. The first international appearance of ensemble in July 1998 on New Zealand evoked a standing ovation lasting for twenty minutes. Next show was equally successful, performed with perfect precision and – what’s the most important- totally live. Media call Gaelforce Dance „Ferrari of Irish dance in the world“ as the only Irish dance group, which dance, tap-dance, sing and perform live. Manager of GD, Frank Elwin has never come under pressure to replace live tap-dance with record and it turned out to be very correct decision. The fact, that every detail of Gaelforce Dance performance is live, makes them exceptional and different from Lord of the Dance or RiverDance, which they are often compared to.

Choreograph Richard Griffin joined Gaelforce Dance in 1999. This is how he explains the difference between Gaelforce Dance, RiverDance and Lord of the Dance: “We aspire to be different. We are more theatrical and concentrate on live performing.  Spectators go to theatre just to see live perdormance, so we gave them, what they expect.”
Gaelforce Dance is rather musical than folkloristic show and contains modern elements, classical ballet parts, but mainly great samples of tap-dance. All this in accompanniment of spontaneous Irish music, full of violin and guitar virtuosity, flute and accordion melodies and also the songs sung in the style of Enya.

Today Gaelforce Dance form about 30 dancers, 4 musicians and one singer. Some of the dancers also play music intruments. Irish dance is very complicated. It is not enought to be talented, copy dancers from tv shows, use some guide with dance steps or register yourself for dance courses to stay a good dancer. Good dancer has to sacrifice most of his time for training the precision of dance steps and that’s what Gaelforce Dance dancers do. Most of them have been dancing for 15 years, they have started at the age of 5 years. James Devine, ex-solist dancer and choreograph of GD, world champion, is the fastest dancer registred in the Guiness Book of World Records (38 taps per second).
GD dancers spend all their free time dancing and even strong pain can’t stop them. If you ask them if they haven’t problems with their legs, they will only smile. Contusions are routine for them. Some dancers have just had surgical interventions. Because of that the group always carry with them on tourne a special floor composed  from three layers.  This floor is safer and protect dancers‘ legs from injuries, at the same time it emphasize the sound of tap-dance.
Whereas dance numbers from RiverDance and Lord of the Dance shows require maximum of energy, power and emphasis, Gaelforce Dance just concentrate on narrative and dramatic form of their appearance.

Gaelforce Dance  (the Gaelic force) tells the story of two totally different brothers, Lorcan and Cuan, who fall in love with the same girl, Aisling. The conflict is based on a classic Shakespearean love story, where passion and jealousy interwine with a tragedy.

This fabulous show will thrill together lovers of Irish dance, celtic music, romantic Irish nature and people generally interested in dance, especially in tap-dance.