World of dance on stage

11/7/2003

A grab bag of world dance styles will be offered tomorrow night when the London-based 24-member Spirit of the Dance ensemble performs at the Valentine Theatre. The show s emphasis is on Ireland, but dances from across the Hispanic world, including flamenco, salsa, and tango, are included.

“Other Irish dance shows had already been out for the last few years. We wanted to make our show different,” said Nicky Figgins, the show s dance captain.

“With us you get the power of Irish dance, and then a variety of other styles in between to keep the energy moving up and down. The group is made up of dancers with wide experiences in their training, so adding the new material was easy.”

A couple of songs are included as well, most notably English composer Frederic Weatherly s 1913 classic ballad “Danny Boy.”

There is no program to hold the show together, just beautiful costumes and lots of high-energy dancing.

That s enough, said Figgins.

“People can come to a show with all the problems of the world, but they are sure to walk out happy.”

Spirit of the Dance performs at 8 p.m. tomorrow at the Valentine Theatre. Tickets range from $30 to $52. Information: 419-242-2787.