If you regret not having seen October's sell-out Riverdance show, don't miss Spirit of the Dance, which comes to Beijing next month.

Presented by the China National Cultural & Art Co Ltd and Uniart Success Culture & Art Co Ltd, the unique entertainment spectacular will be performed at the Beijing Exhibition Hall Theater from January 17 to 23.

Performed by the Irish International Dance Company, Spirit of the Dance was created after Riverdance became a phenomenon.

The Riverdance sensation introduced Irish dance to a wide audience. Spirit of the Dance was created in England in 1996 to satisfy massive public demand.

Irish in origin and bursting with power, Spirit of the Dance features a spectacular blend of traditional culture that brings together the excitement of Irish dance with the diversity of other forms of dance from salsa to ballroom, jazz to ballet and much more.

"There was no point in producing a show similar to Riverdance. I needed to create my own niche in the market whereby I composed my own music and gave Spirit of the Dance its own identity," said the show's producer, David King.

"It took me three months to write the musical score, and all the songs, for Spirit of the Dance. I literally searched my soul to bring forward all of my lifetime's musical experiences and transposed them into the music for the show. From classical jazz, big ballads, rock and roll, to Broadway and more, I combine them all together, add a sprinkle of imagination, and a thumping beat," said the veteran producer.

"It was opening night at the Hippodrome Theatre, Bristol, England, in September 1996. I remember standing at the back worrying and sweating over how the audience would respond, and more to the point, what would the critics say. Those two hours were the longest of my life. As the curtains went down, I knew the audience was on my side as they stood up and applauded for five minutes. Tears streamed down my face and immense relief washed over me," recalled King.

Ever since the premiere, the show has become an international smash hit. So far, it has been seen by more than 25 million people around the world. The show has three full-time troupes in Myrtle Beach, Branson and Las Vegas.

The show is now in its seventh year. Each year, the show evolves with new dance pieces as it features innovative choreography highlighting the changing world dance styles.

"The whole production is passionate and fast paced, thrilling and powerful, but most of all incredibly entertaining," said Wang Chao, manager of Uniart Success Culture & Art Co Ltd.

The dancers come from all over the UK and Ireland and they receive intense and vigorous training in London and Dublin.

"The minute they walk on to that stage, they become totally immersed in their performance and give out everything they've got, because that is where they want to be," said King.

The show may not be on the same plane as Riverdance, but conversely, it demands much more from its dancers.

And while the show doesn't follow a storyline, it certainly is spirited. Dancers perform about 20 numbers in which they twirl, glide and tap across the stage.

One of the best is Highland Fling, where the male troupe leaps about in kilts, after a bagpipe interlude. Another, Hoe Down, features the women at their finest as they kick up their heels to a country tune.

For all the different types of music, however, the melody always drifts back to an Irish one. This is a bit distracting, as it is hard to fully appreciate the flamenco or a Viennese waltz with such undertones.

That aside, Spirit of the Dance certainly seems to be popular.

(China Daily December 15, 2003)