Michael Ryan Flatley, an American dancer, is famous for his creativity and performance in many Irish dance shows such as Riverdance, Lord of the Dance, Feet of Flames, Celtic Tiger Live and Michael Flatley’s Christmas Dance Spectacular.
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- Full name: Michael Ryan Flatley
- Stage name: Michael Flatley
- Date of birth: July 16, 1958
- Age: 65 years old
- Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Nationality: American
- Occupation: Professional dancer
- Height: 1.75m
- Parents: Michael Flatley Snr, Eilish Flatley
- Siblings: Thomasina Griffin, Patrick Flatley, Anne-Marie Flatley, Eliza Callahan
- Spouse: Niamh O’Brien, Be a ta Dziaba
- Children: Michael St James Flatley
- Relationship: Married
- Net worth: $301 million
Early life
Michael Ryan Flatley was born in Chicago on July 16, 1958, to Irish parents Michael James Flatley and Elisabeth “Eilish” Flatley.
At age 11, he began dancing lessons with Dennis G. Dennehy and won many dance and boxing competitions in Ireland during the 1970s.
Although he considered pursuing a career in boxing, Flatley ultimately chose to pursue dance and was praised by many publications for his talent and agility.
Education
Although Michael Flatley is actually an American dancer, his formal education primarily focused on Irish dance rather than traditional American dance styles.
This private Catholic school for boys in Chicago (Brother Rice High School) was Michael Flatley’s primary educational institution.
Flatley developed his skills from a young age, even practicing in his garage. At age 11, he briefly attempted formal education but was considered a failure “too old.”
His competitive spirit and talent flourished through local, national and international Irish dancing competitions, culminating in him becoming the first American to win a World Irish Dancing title in 1975.
Career
After finishing high school, Flatley studied various professions, such as stockbroking, gambling, and flute playing.
He toured with Green Fields of America from 1978 to 1979 and then toured with The Chieftains in the 1980s, but his request to join the band full-time was denied.
Following attention from prominent individuals such as Irish President Mary Robinson and dance show producers, Flatley was invited to collaborate on a performance during the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest intermission.
His 7-minute show, “Riverdance,” in the Irish competition, received universal acclaim.
This success led Flatley to advocate expanding the show into a full production, which eventually became the popular Riverdance show.
Produced by Moya Doherty, with Flatley and Jean Butler leading the choreography and performances, the play premiered at the Point Theater in Dublin in February 1995.
After parting ways with Riverdance, Flatley created his own show, Lord of the Dance. This show is not limited to traditional theaters and can be staged in arenas and stadiums.
Lord of the Dance premiered at the Point Theater in Dublin in June 1996, followed by its UK premiere at the London Coliseum.
Ronan Hardiman composed the music for the show. In 1997, Flatley earned £36 million, placing him 25th among the world’s highest-earning entertainers.
In 1998, Flatley expanded the show into a show called Feet of Flames, which was his only performance and final appearance in Lord of the Dance.
This special performance takes place outdoors in Hyde Park, London, on a four-storey hydraulic stage, with over 100 dancers performing in the grand finale.
The production features new numbers, including a solo by Flatley, set to music by Ronan Hardiman, and new compositions by Hardiman.
In May 2015, Flatley announced that he suffered severe damage to his spine, a damaged left knee, a torn right calf muscle, two ruptured Achilles tendons, broken ribs, and recurring foot injuries. That same year, his caricature was displayed at Sardi’s restaurant on Broadway.
In November 2015, his show Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games premiered at the Lyric Theater on Broadway. Due to injury, he could only perform in the last two performances.
After the New York performance, Flatley embarked on his final US tour. His final performance was originally supposed to be in Las Vegas on St. Patrick’s Day 2016.
Awards and appointments
- National Heritage Scholarship (1988)
- Irish Dance Commission Scholarship Award (2001)
- Member of the American Irish Dance Teachers Association (2001)
- Special Award from Prince Rainier of Monaco (2003):
- Irish American of the Year (2003):
- Honorary Doctor of University College Dublin (2004)
- Ellis Island Medal of Honor (2004)
- Honorary Doctor of the University of Limerick (2016)
- Best Actor Award at the Monaco Streaming Film Festival (2022) For his role in the film “Blackbird” (which he also wrote, directed and financed)
- Echo Award for Best Music DVD: With His Dance
Social Media
- Instagram handle: @michaelflatleyofficial
- Facebook manager: Michael Flatley
- Twitter name: @Michaelflatley2
Personal life
Flatley and Beata Dziaba married at a registry office in Denmark in 1986 but ended their marriage in 1997 due to his infidelity.
He was briefly engaged to Lisa Murphy before her death in 2024.
Flatley later found love with Niamh O’Brien, a dancer in his shows, with whom he had a Catholic wedding in 2006.
They currently reside between Monte Carlo and Castlehyde House in Ireland with their son, Michael St. James, born in 2007.
Net value
It is reported that his assets are up to 301 million euros.
