- Film And TV
- 12 Jun 23
Casting for Dancelord is expected to begin soon.
A "no holds barred" biographical drama series about Michael Flatley is currently in the works.
As reported by Variety , the series, titled Dancelord, will follow the Irish-American dancer's life and career.
It's being produced by StoryFirst, and written by Micho Rutare, known for his work on Z Nation, with casting expected to begin soon.
In an exclusive this morning, Variety shared the project's synopsis:
“For every transcendent moment onstage, Flatley endures grueling hours of pain and the loneliness of the road. Taunted by the media and, at times, doubted by everyone but his fans, Flatley bounces back time and again, dancing from his heart well into middle age and transforming Irish dance forever.”
Born in the U.S. to Irish parents, Flatley rose to prominence initially through his work with Mick Moloney's Green Fields of America, as well as The Chieftains — but his major break was Riverdance. After performing the initial show during the interval of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, he went on to become the principal choreographer, and one of the lead performers, in the full-length production.
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He later created his own show, the hugely successful Lord Of The Dance, which premiered in 1996, as well as multiple other productions.
Dancelord isn't Flatley's first foray into the world of TV and film. In recent years, he wrote, directed, financed and starred in Blackbird.
He serves as executive producer on the new series, alongside Rod Gunner and Peter Gerwe for StoryFirst, and Ben Rosenblatt and Micho Rutare for American Meme.
“I’m honored and humbled to be able to share my story with the world and confident that StoryFirst will deliver an inspirational and, hopefully, motivational message to people everywhere,” Flatley told Variety. “If you work hard and follow your dreams, then nothing is impossible.”