Heartbeat of Home

Heartbeat of Home’s North American Debut Hits Toronto

The Heartbeat of Home Company

The only way I could have had more fun at Heartbeat of Home was if they’d allow me to go on stage with them.

I was already excited to see the show as was obvious in my preview piece and I was not disappointed. First off, it’s impossible not to fall in love with the dancers; young, energetic and really good-looking. Second, unlike previous Riverdance performances this show better integrates the dance numbers and manages to keep a thread of Irish dancing throughout.

The cast of Heartbeat of Home is composed of 19 Irish, four Latin, two flamenco and three Afro-Cuban dancers along with a 10-piece band and one amazing singer. John Carey and David Bolger choreographed the majority of the dance sequences, but both professional Flamenco dancers Stefano Domit and Rocio Montoya choreographed and performed in their numbers.

The show starts with a bang as the entire cast is introduced in the opening number, all showcasing their dance talents. What’s always impressive with Irish dancing is the force and power behind the moves. One dancer starts and as each of the others join in, it becomes a thunderous movement. I was impressed with the speed of the dance steps, and finally understand the meaning of spaghetti legs. It was as if their legs were separate from their bodies, moving in a rhythm unto themselves. Then in flies Ciara, literally. She moves across the floor so light and fast you’d swear she was hovering. One could see her ballet strengths come through throughout her dance numbers.

The added flavour of Afro-Cuban, Latin and flamenco dancers creates a nice parallel with the Irish dancing as each use intricate foot movements. Also unique, was to see how well the Irish movements worked with the Latin beats. And speaking of beats, the 10-piece band did a fabulous job hyping up the audience during the two non-dance numbers and demi-concert following the performance. From fiddle and drum solos to all out rocking tunes, the band covered every arrangement beautifully and never overpowered the singing talents of Lucia Evans, who brought a flare to every number she performed.

Although I have not taken up Irish dancing (yet) I did have a strong drive to go out dancing that night and work on my salsa steps.

The dance journey continues until March 2 at the Ed Mirvish Theatre with tickets available through www.mirvish.com.