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The Best of Riverdance

Michael Flatley (Actor), Jean Butler (Actor), John McColgan (Director) Rated:
NR
Format: DVD
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 781 ratings
IMDb8.3/10.0
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Genre Musicals & Performing Arts/Musicals/General, World Music / Celtic
Format NTSC, Dolby
Contributor Jean Butler, Jean-Luc Koenig, Moya Doherty, Katie McMahon, Pat Roddy, Michel Siebenmann, María Pagés, Morgan Crowley, Eileen Martin, Julian Erskine, Daniel B. Wooten, John McColgan, Michael Flatley, Tarik Winston, Brendán de Gallaí, Colin Dunne, Serge Minkoff, Joan Egan Foglia, Areleen Ni Bhaoill See more
Language English
Runtime 1 hour and 53 minutes
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Product Description

Product Description

Experience the Riverdance journey from its extraordinary beginnings at the Point Theatre, Dublin, with original stars Michael Flatley and Jean Butler, through its phenomenal success in Radio City Music Hall, New York to its latest live recording in Geneva.

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The DVD debut of Michael Flatley's performance in Riverdance (or at least part of it) is one of the highlights of The Best of Riverdance, a generous survey of the Irish hard-shoe sensation that has riveted live audiences and PBS viewers for a decade. Beginning with the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest performance that led to the full-length stage show, the program compiles a number of highlights from the show's history, taken mostly from three sources. There's the original 1995 televised show starring the flamboyant, record-setting tapper Flatley and his partner, Jean Butler. There's the 1997 New York City concert, with Colin Dunne opposite Butler. And finally there's the 2003 performance from Geneva headlined by Brendán de Gallaí and Joanne Doyle. Because elements of the show and numerous performers have changed over the years, each performance has its own character, and The Best of Riverdance even takes the unusual step of blending segments of various shows into a single number. For example, "Riverdance" switches back and forth among the three shows and the three sets of leads. "Lift the Wings" begins with two verses of the solo voice of Áine Uí Cheallaigh, then segues into segments from the ensemble-sung version from New York and Geneva. Because the solo rendition was one of the biggest losses of later generations of the show, it's nice to have at least part of it on DVD. Likewise, because Flatley's complete Riverdance performance is not yet available on DVD, fans will be glad to have at least a few numbers here. Other later-generation numbers included are "American Wake" and "Trading Taps," and the DVD menu screens very clear note which performer or combination of performers is performing.

Brand new in this nearly two-hour program are occasional introductions by Jean Butler, which help explain some of the ambiguous stage action. Bonus features are a new one-hour documentary about the history of the show, 16 minutes of high-speed backstage footage, and an eight-minute performance from the 2003 Special Olympics. Some viewers may find the introductions or the performance switches jarring to the flow, and The Best of Riverdance is surely not a substitute for the complete performances of the show, but it is a nice compilation, and offers some footage that you can't see anywhere else. --David Horiuchi

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.75 x 5.75 x 0.53 inches; 2.72 ounces
  • Director ‏ : ‎ John McColgan
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Dolby
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 53 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ January 31, 2006
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Michael Flatley, Jean Butler, Brendán de Gallaí, Eileen Martin, Areleen Ni Bhaoill
  • Producers ‏ : ‎ Jean-Luc Koenig, Joan Egan Foglia, Julian Erskine, Moya Doherty, Serge Minkoff
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Unqualified, English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Kultur Video
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000929UNM
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 781 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
781 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

toraloramoo
5.0 out of 5 stars A great collection for fans of the show!
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2007
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I was intrigued by Riverdance when it first came out more than ten years ago, but I've never seen the show live and in person. I have a VHS copy of the original show lying around and I love it! When I wanted to update my copy with a DVD version of the same thing, I was surprised to learn that one is not available (anyone know when it will be available?) So, I bought the best of DVD hoping for the best but not really expecting it ...well, I was pleasantly surprised. Now, I'm not familiar with all the different versions of the show or the principal dancers (Breandan de Gallai is GEORGOUS, though), but I enjoyed seeing the different lead dancers, the different costumes and backgrounds. A previous reviewer complained about the editing of the various shows and the commentary by Jean Butler, but these elements enhanced my enjoyement of the show. In fact, I want to buy all the different versions of the show and have a whole set of Riverdance because of this DVD. I also want to get out and actually SEE the show live (anyone know when Riverdance is coming to the state of Texas again?) So, I am very satisfied with this DVD. I would recommend this DVD to anyone who likes Riverdance and to anyone who wants to get a comprehensive overview of the different shows throughout the years.
4 people found this helpful
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Theobert Ahlberg
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent movi
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2023
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Enjoyed the movie and would buy again! No
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John A. M. Darnell
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Documentary!
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2007
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My love of Celtic culture grew independently of the Riverdance phenomenon, nevertheless, when the two merged, it was like fire and oil, developing a bright, hot flame.

So I was pleased to find a piece of work that attempted to document the Riverdance story. I saw the very first Riverdance, performed during the Eurosong festival, and I watched it as it developed into the massively monumental work it now is. I so thoroughly enjoyed the Riverdance segment performed in Ireland for the Special Olympics (introduced by Pierce Brosnan--an Irishman) that I watched it four times in a row.

More importantly, I learned something about the characters involved in this phenomenon. I learned that yes, indeed, Michael Flatley for all his brilliance on the dance floor, has an ego the size of the Titanic (and may have the same fate some day--ah but I digress). I learned that the founders of the show were scared but determined. I learned that more than once misfortune befell the troupe, but they recovered and triumphed anyway.

This is a documentary, it is not a show. So don't expect it to flow smoothly. You may find the juxtapositions of the various versions a little unnerving, but if you can handle it, and if you are the kind of person who enjoys the backstory behind the success, this DVD is for you, and you'll not regret purchasing it.
15 people found this helpful
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Autumn Maples
4.0 out of 5 stars The Best Of - a Documentary
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2012
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This DVD is NOT, nor was it designed to be, a seamless copy of Riverdance - The Show. It is a documentary covering the history of Riverdance from the initial dance done at a competition through the first 10 years of the vastly expanded Riverdance - The Show, and is narrated by Jean Butler (the first lead female dancer). Every dance and musical interlude is included, even the added dances. Several different lead dancers are shown. The DVD isn't a pure documentary, however, because it has editorial comment. I do not know, of course, if the editorial comment was scripted or was Jean Butler's personal view.

I came away believing several things. First, Riverdance was a very special creation, groundbreaking in many ways and worthy of its fame. Second, it was/is a mistake to have multiple troupes with varied abilities. There are some singers and dancers who are definitely not the caliber of the first troupe. The bell-like purity of voice of the first female lead singer simply has been lost in some later renditions, and several male dancers' high kicks are a travesty compared to, say, Michael Flatley's.

Which brings me to the male lead dancers. I have the video tape of the original Dublin performance (I wish it currently was available as a USA-compatible DVD). Here was the man who danced that first Riverdance performance, who was the chief choreographer for the expanded Riverdance - The Show, and who was the lead dancer. He danced with a joy that was special and unique; he was uplifted by the ovations. He is the man who holds the Guinness World Record for taps in one second. His high kicks are phenomenal. His ability was at a whole level not attained by the other male lead dancers in the DVD, who (if the DVD title is to be believed) are the best dancers. Don't get me wrong: they are very good - or even excellent - dancers; however, compared to Michael Flatley they are second string. Further, in some instances the expression on their faces (especially the one that replaced Michael Flatley) was more "I showed you" than exuberant joy over the dance itself.

I confess I don't like the pas de deux that was added to The Show. It is a lovely pas de deux - don't get me wrong - but just doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the dances. The Irish, Flamenco, and American-tap dances (and the Russian folk-style number) all have a certain "feel" that is totally different from (and disrupted by) the pas de deux.

I am glad I purchased the DVD. I'd never seen even a clip of the original dance performed at that international venue; it was great to see the origins of this wonderful show. It was also great to see Michael and Jean react to the ovation at that performance: it is hard to imagine now, with the show a world-wide phenomenon, that this was the first time a huge audience gave a standing ovation to "Irish clog dancing" - so it is hard to grasp the amazement and joy they felt. Also, I finally heard the meaning of each dance, which was not explained on the video of the Dublin performance. Jean Butler's explanations are clear and concise, and allowed me to watch each segment at a deeper level, starting to understand the meaning while still appreciating the beauty, art, hard work, and talent.

As a documentary - which is what it is - I recommend it.
24 people found this helpful
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Karen
5.0 out of 5 stars The best of riverdance
Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2023
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The history of Riverdance is greatly appreciated on this DVD as the story lines are similar but different too and the lead performers give their heart and soul to make this so special
One person found this helpful
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BruceL
3.0 out of 5 stars good content, poor picture quality, actually fullscreen, PAL format
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2010
Verified Purchase
NOTE: this is PAL format. Some bluray and dvd players won't be able to play it.

The content of this disc is good. I like how they used multiple performances for a given song/dance.

Unfortunately, the picture quality is poor: grainy and low-resolution.

This DVD is actually fullscreen format.
On a full screen tv, there will be bars on the top and bottom of the picture.
On a widescreen tv, there will be bars on all four sides, if you set the
Picture Size to 4:3 to view the movie with the proper aspect ratio.

Depending on the player and the tv's capabilities, you may be able to
choose a picture size that will at least eliminate the bars on the left and
right sides of the picture - while preserving the aspect ratio.
My widescreen tv will only do this, via picture size 'Zoom1', if I lower the
resolution by using a DVD player without 1080 upscaling. This entails using
component video or other lower-resolution inputs instead of HDMI input.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Joan Tytler
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it
Reviewed in Canada on September 16, 2017
Verified Purchase
Love this. We had been to see Riverdance on stage recently, and loved it. But, this explained a lot about the stories they danced and told a bit about the dancers. Also, seeing it on stage, I couldn't often see their feet as they danced. I could see clearly in this presentation. Loved it.
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Giunta Umberto
4.0 out of 5 stars DVD Best of Riverdance
Reviewed in Italy on January 20, 2016
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A prescindere dalla consegna che è stata alquanto lenta ( un paio di settimane ) questa raccolta di balletti e musiche mi sono parsi di performance piutosto attempate e non delle migliori.
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jameshowell
5.0 out of 5 stars Irish Dance at its very very best
Reviewed in Germany on January 2, 2012
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For speed, dynamic, and pure entertainment cannot be beaten. The dancing is fantastic from all parties but it is still facinating to realise that even at this level one has favorites. The music and songs are on an equally high level as the dancing. I have already watched the programme several times. I do not think that you could ever get tired of it.
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アップルアップル
5.0 out of 5 stars 最高！
Reviewed in Japan on July 4, 2015
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River Danceは大好きで、NYでも東京でも何度も観ています。ダンスはライブがいいに決まっているので、CDしか持っていませんでしたが、オリジナルメンバーのダンスが観れるとあって今回購入。素晴らしかったです！すでに何度も観ています。小さい画面でも十分楽しめます。
One person found this helpful
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Ninie18
5.0 out of 5 stars Splendide
Reviewed in France on November 12, 2010
Verified Purchase
Voilà j'ai acheté ce DVD et ce n'est pas le 1er et je suis enchantée c'est magnifique et je ne me lasse pas de le regarder. En plus j'ai eu la chance de voir Celtic Légends fin Octobre sur scène et c'est splendide un savoir faire une musique et des musiciens à faire chavirer votre coeur des danseurs extraordinaires et d'une gentillesse je ne vous dis pas et je ne peux que vous conseiller d'acheter ce DVD vous ne serez pas déçu.
3 people found this helpful
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