"Riverdance, the Show" 1995, "Countess Cathleen"

[booksandballet28]

This VHS was my life when I was a child!

[axopodia]

i wish i could do that

[MsAngelofdeath95]

Though this was made in the year of my birth my mother had the tape and cassette of the Riverdance show and it is a huge part of my childhood. Jean is absolutely amazing and this is my favourite dance of the show.

Forever in my heart and head Riverdance.

[axderaq]

I was an infant then, but still remember it and have the cassette that my mom recorded :) these were great times

[Capcoor]

My favorite part.

[clydesight]

Thanks for posting this. I loved this when it was on PBS and caught it as many times as I could. I like this show the best of all the Riverdances I have seen (although they all are very good.) What a wonderful thing this show was! Thanks for posting.

[16foreverORnever]

i love this. i used to watch this al the time when i was little cuz i have it on tape. and now im an irish dancer :DDDD

[dillinger4875]

fabulous piece of music!!

[Alena669]

This one´s my favorite <333

[animalbracelets7]

Jean Butler is absolutely beautiful!

[Shomazoo]

They aren't dancing. They are flying!!! :) Awesome!

[fatimanika]

I absolutely agree with you!

Jean Butler was extremly good and also very sensual in her dancing and together with "The King" Michael Flatley they were the best and I've seen the others after them and it is not as good as they were.

[xox399]

i have to dance this in my schools spring concert n im the youngest dancer in it!!!!!

but this is so simple but so gracful! n the music is absalutly amazing!

thumbs up if you agree!!!!

[pennyparham]

I , agree. HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

[AmericanGirlLove0]

THIS IS SOOO AMAZING! 2 PEOPLE ARE JEALOUS THEY CAN'T DANCE LIKE THIS!

[claredeanna]

I think i've watched this 20 times now, replaying it! it's actually amazing! STILL!

[xanglat]

She is my ideal !!!

With gratefulness

SMILES

6******

[WatHappensAtPolarIce]

the original is way better than the new one. im only 11 so i could only see the original on VHS. I saw a show from their last tour that happened last year and.... the original is defiantly better. Without Jean and Michael,its just not the same. I watch the VHS like at least once a week. I love it it is so beautiful. Take my advice, watch the 1995 clips, actually continue on watching the rest of the videos by maralan51 cuz they rare great quality.

[destroyer8604]

@WatHappensAtPolarIce @Kathryn1806 SHe is good but her performence is not as good as the newer version with Aislinn Ryan as the lead. Check out the DVD live from bejing. Aislinn Ryan is long and thin and moves so gracefully its amazing. She actually uses her arms to add to her dance as opposed to Jean who has her arms at her sides the entire time. Nothing against her but she doesnt have the kind of graceful movement like Aislinn Ryan, who is like walking on water when you watch her.

[ihartjames1]

@destroyer8604 THe dance is supposed to be like that- arms at her sides. sorry but I dislike the later versions. The 1995 has to be my favorite. I can agree that in some instances she could use her arms to add to it, but it was the dance choreographer's choice.

[Felicity1247]

@destroyer8604 Actually, traditional Irish dance has a very stiff upper body and the arms are kept close to the sides. Jean was taught the old way. Jean is much better in the Radio City Hall version, where she's looser and less tense. She also moves her arms a lot more, if you like arm movement.

[CathleenArmstrong]

Lol

[jockellis]

Lennonfan, if you are in college you should do Jean's stair descent after you get your diploma.

[uxtalzon]

I literally listened to this so much, I was able to point my remote and rewind the VHS and stop/play right at the spot where it plays this part over and over without even looking at it. lol

[Lonestarry]

@C0LL1N What a rude thing to say, Collin. It's too bad you obviously place value on looks rather than talent.

[GalwayRose1]

GOD BLESS THE IRISH DANCERS, ANCIENT HISTORY FOR ME, BUT WAS A FORMER CHAMPION IRISH DANCER, NO FORCED SMILES, YOU LOVE TO DANCE, AND I SURE DID!!! ONLY COMPLAINT I HAVE IS THE WIGS THEY WEAR NOW, THANK GOD I DID NOT HAVE TO. IRELAND FOREVER

[dalivsta]

i tried this once...it's so tiring, i had to stop after a couple of minutes. how they manage to do whole shows of this is beyond me but it's so good and really looks effortless!

[lmaIia]

One of the girls' smiles looks forced...

It's so much more beautiful when they smile because they're having fun.

[riselin]

@lmaIia

well, dancing like this is hard physical exercise. Only a few can make their smile look real, but even though feeling happy and having fun, it's just difficult to smile while dancing like this

[VSchuber]

Wonderfull !!!

[ramywiles]

though 2 dislikes is generally good... how ANYONE could press the dislike button is beyond me. O_O

[lukeskywalker993]

whoah

[chrishayden82]

I love watching people so fluid and gracefull, im clumsy as hell and would be on my face XD

[magunra3k]

this gives me the horn

[clareeaoliverio]

those guys have an amazing amount of muscle control. i wish i could do that!

[nahpop1]

jean does the slip jig soooo well

[magunra3k]

@nahpop1

AND I WOULD SLIP JEAN MY JIG WELL

[Aprilia101]

i want them all to sit on my face

[redsonya100]

SHES SO HOT!!!!!!!!!

[wcd47]

Jean dances on the Wings of Angels...........So great

[candypants0069]

I can watch this video over and over again I love it!!

[SilverEyedHyuuga]

Lead the ladies, Jean Butler! So sensuous and delicate-looking...but she gives off a sense of strength at the same time.

[guyfihi]

Jean Butler, the red hair, the long strong legs, the sensuous face, God Almighty what a hot lady.

[nackyn]

anyone know why river dance is stopping the show

[RinceorNosretep]

They're not, they're just going to change their tour, as in visit different cities than the usual circuit.

[nackyn]

oh ok

[NissanSkyline666]

@RinceorNosretep actully they came to the town that i live in on their farewell tour they are disbanding sadly :'(

[lennonfan40]

I was once a little red headed irish dancer and was 8 years old when i had the video of this and always said i wanted to be Jean Butler one day shes a legend! i danced rite up until i was 16 but left to try tap, ballet & acro..... BIGGEST REGRET! Lesson to be learnt to all the mini Jean Butler's out there never give it up! Im 22 now and plan to go back to it still

[emera]

Thank you so much for uploading this video!

[blindseer95]

This is what I listened to when I was sad as a child, and its what I listen to when I can't sleep now.

So beautiful.. I hope Flatley's legacy lives on until I die, at the very least.

[SylentHeart]

i dont care whay anyone says the original with michael flatley was the best!!!!

[NikDLenfent]

I got this VHS for Christmas 1996/7 lol!!! Jean was such a pimp. I loved the hard shoe part where she enters @ the top of the stairs. It was hardcore and almost tribal! They took it out of the newer performances : (

[BebsiForever]

aaaahhh....the age of VHS...=)

[mb0801]

its not jealousy at all...just putting the irish dance world into perspective for those who obviously don't understand the technique and competition to the fullest degree

[julietbravo69]

mb0801.... I certainly do understand the technique and competition side of Irish Dance. Nowadays there are different standards expected which are completely different to those 20 years ago when Jean was competing. The footwork was much lower and didn't consist of so many high kicks and 'non-traditional' moves. I know this because I learnt and competed at this time. To me, Jean is sharp, neat and of world-class standard :-)

[DuckeyToast]

I completely agreee,,,

i think she was one of the best,,

I dont like watching the newist riverdance because they dont have the grace she had and they changed the choregraphy- excuse my spellling lol- xx

[mountainkids]

I loved the dress that Jean wore.. I watched this sooo many times!!!

[Yerodineran]

I am not interested in dancing at all, but I really love Irish folk music and especially this song. It´s so nice... Just in one bar of this music is more than in any song which is played in radio nowadays.

[Jallorn]

For me the tap shoes are another instrument. I play fiddle myself though, so I know what you're saying.

[mtb0801]

i fell in love with irish dancing when i was 7, and competed for 11 years. ive since 'retired' due to injuries and have been watching this so frequently. jean butler is beautiful but her technique is definitely sub-par, which is really disappointing. she really needed to work on her turnout and crossing. she would never cut it in today's competing world.

[johng317]

mtb0801 Do I sense some jealousy here? For crying out loud, Jean Butler won this leading role over every other Irish dancer out there, so please show her some respect

[MrHappyshadow]

great vid. fantastic to watch

[SHENAKU]

i'm doing a animated irish dance with flash (a animation maker) in digitl arts and i'm planning on using this song..it' so beautiful

[Kathryn1806]

I have seen the show 5 times in all, and I was there at The Point when it was first performed. Jean is the most beautiful dancer...she just has 'something' no-one else has had since....stunning

[longhrons1]

i completely agree Jean has a power and grace about her that no one can imitate

[Purrplefreak12]

ditto.

[TimberwolfsLilsis]

@Kathryn1806 And she actually choreagraphed this amazing piece.

[FFXfan1996]

@Kathryn1806 i learned how to do the jig by watching this movie like a thousand times

[irishslingo]

@Kathryn1806 i agree completely. Went to see the show in Melbourne, Australia 2 nights ago and throughly enjoyed the performance of Maria Buffini who was the lead female role. However, after watching this video, I can marvel at the 'something' you are referring to with Jean... amazing.

[scottishjen1988]

I love the music and the dancing in the piece. Utterly fantastic :)

[Diabeetusman91]

this is y favorite part of the whole river dance show.ive been trying to find the riverdance that was 14 yrs ago starting at

5pm and i just forund it at 6:30pm

[ForensicsFreak2008]

they really should release the original show on dvd

[UrikoHigurashi]

I'm not sure how, but when I was a kid, and even now, I can still get a story out of the Riverdance performance.

[MattMuse4EvaIsFit]

HAPPY ST PATRICKS DAY!!!!!!!!!!

[gunsnroses1187]

we r using this song for my irish dance recital!!!! love dancing to it!!!

[WhiteFlower1981]

i swear, i don't know how anyone can move their feet like that!! lol  I mean, obviously it's possible, but i'm just so fascinated by this dance! :)

[54spiritedwill54]

love jean !!!!

[bowesgoes]

this is great ! i like it more than the new ones..and her dresses are beautiful =)

[welshgirl43]

i have this tape too :)

and all the dvds

and cds

And like everything else :D

[myinuyasha2006]

my name is cathleen :D...and i started to make irish dancing....i totally want to do this dance.:D

[rabengeraun]

Exciting stuff - Jean Butler is a great dancer and a bit of a sort as well!

[EmoNekoChan]

I have this tape too!! XD And two DVDs.... the New York one and the Best of Riverdance DVD.

[AhVAI3]

RICO!!!

[akaRubyHeart]

I like it best when the percussion changes at 2:24. That's when it gets exciting!

[Keira15true]

Is this dance about something? I'm just curious;D... I like it a lot!

[EverSilent1]

I have this tape somewhere too ^^ I watched it a lot, but I always skipped over Anunu and the dood who plays the..instrument.

[SPUNKYskittles]

i totally have this video ... i remember going for my 6th birthday ... it was amazing ... i have the soundtrack too

[LoveNotWar1992]

I have this tape, too =]

[LoveNotWar1992]

Except no VHS player anymore haha

[HJW12]

fantastic dancing.lovely music too.

[kaianna94]

i have loved riverdance since i was little. i always loved the music

[Colly11]

I always watched this when I was little, I made up a story to go with this dance :) The pretty girl is having fun with her friends, then the big bad boys come along and they all run away scared. Then they come back and try and protect their pretty leader from the boys. They break through but she sends them packing! Girl power :)

[Aislinnmomma]

I love love love that dress! The Moscow Folk Ballet is amazing--and all the girls are great!

[no1callsmegriff]

amazing

[elliesaf]

amazing!!!!! pure amazing!!!! even those that are nto fans of dancing still have to bow down and admint what a wonderful piece of artistry this is!

[iwiwime]

Um... this isnt rare! I have this!!

[demon2025]

I adore Jean! I noticed that in this performance she seems kind of nervous while in the performance with Colin she looks so radient and quite confident... Was this the first time she was ever taped?

[gabbygurtie]

Through watching documentaries and reading articles about her and Micheal and the show, I think a lot of it had to do with Micheal and his "presence".

[bookkeeper57]

The show was his concept, and features his choreography; with the exception of FireDance and Russian Dervish. He left that up to Maria

Pages and the Moiseyev ensemble, respectively.

[Djabenusiri]

Riverdance was not Michael Flatley's concept. It was Moya Doherty's.

[bookkeeper57]

Yes: pretty young here.

[thevintagerose]

Man, I watched this a lot as a kid but I never realized the story that this dance tells. Beautiful! Thanks for posting. ^_^

[Giuliana773]

She's Perfect! :D

[Cauchymean]

Jean Butler - sigh - beautiful and talented. I don't know why the Dublin performance was only published on VHS and not DVD.

[crazycamel3]

This is not called the hearts cry it is called countess cathleen .The song before this dance is called the hearts cry

[bklny]

love jean !!!!

[hawii4fun]

awesome

[chaz8806]

do u mean the blck haired lader with the birds on the orange background and jean and micheal walk along the back of the stage holding hands? if you do that song is amazing a nd id love to see it to. hope i have been of some assistance. or is it the chorus version with all of those people, the white woman and the the bloke?

[maralan51]

I'm not sure I understand what you want me to post. I have all Michael Flately's DVDs ("Lord of the Dance", "Feet of Flame", "Keltic Tiger" and "Gold"), plus two versions of the Riverdance show on DVD ("Live from New York" and "Live from Geneve") and the 1995 version from tape which I've already posted. If you're more specific, I'm sure that what you want is on one of those DVDs, and I'll be happy to post it for you.

[THETribalDancer]

You list this with "The Heart's Cry", but I don't see it on the video! I love that song, and remember it fondly from this show (watched it on PBS a zillion times). Do you have it to post? Would love to see it!