The busiest legs in town are at the Buell

Riverdance 25^th Anniversary Show features a step-dancing troupe that goes well beyond the shores of Ireland

Yep, it’s been over a quarter-century since Riverdance introduced the world to the peculiar precision of Irish step dancing. The distinctive style of high-energy dance, which notably features very little arm movement and a lot of lofty Celtic music in the background, was all the rage in the late 1990s and also the butt of a good many jokes among the late-night comedians set.

I recall seeing it in L.A. with my wife sometime around 2002 and, while I enjoyed it well enough, I made a crack about never needing to see it again. Jen reminded me of that Wednesday night when we both very much enjoyed the 25^th Anniversary Show now at the Buell Theatre at the Denver Center through June 4.

(The program notes say Riverdance was first introduced at the Eurovision song contest and turned into an act for Irish TV in 1994, so I’m not sure where the 25 years comes from.)

The show has evolved a good deal from its origins as a purely Irish affair, with a production that features a bit more variety in the music and dance styles. In addition to the principal dancers, the ensemble also features breakout performers such as The Riverdance Tappers, a Russian folk-dance troupe and a Flamenco soloist.

Anna Mai Fitzpatrick

Alongside the dance is a highly mobile band comprised of Mark Alfred on drums, Cathal Croke on pipes, Haley Richardson on fiddle and Hannah Riches on sax. Richardson is an act unto herself — a remarkably cute, perky Irish woman with a list of fiddling championships under her belt who works almost every scene as part of the action.

For atmosphere, there’s a variety of digital backdrops invoking the ocean, woods, villages and other outdoor scenes from either Ireland or Middle Earth — I wasn’t sure. There’s a smattering of poetry narrated by John Kavanagh, adding to the mystical undertones invoking a particular mood depending on the piece.

All of it is performed by a supremely energetic cadre of very attractive young people with powerful legs and butts you could crack eggs doing nearly two hours of dance steps I couldn’t do 30 seconds of if you held a bazooka to my head. Like a sporting event, part of the appeal of Riverdance is the endless number of physical feats being performed. Combined with some beautiful singing, soaring music and an irrepressible spirit of dance, it makes for a wonderful evening at the theatre that’s appropriate for all ages.