Oscar is Lording the Dance!

IT WAS a dream come true for five-time World Champion Irish dancer, Oscar Donnelly, as he took to the stage to perform in Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance show in Glasgow, late last month.

15-year-old dancer Oscar, who represents the Sharon Taylor Academy, has been dancing since the age of three and—as readers of The Irish Voice will be aware—has amassed a plethora of trophies and medals both nationally and internationally in recognition of his talents.

Earlier this year, Michael Flatley personally selected Oscar from more than 300 young dancers to perform at the 3Arena in Dublin as part of the show’s 30th anniversary celebrations. Oscar was cast as the Young Lord and performed alongside the full Lord of the Dance company.

Speaking about the performance, Oscar enthused: “Dublin was the biggest night of my life. Walking out at the 3Arena as the Young Lord, in front of that crowd, I understood what Michael built. I have wanted this since I was three years old and first put the shoes on.”

In the wake of that performance, Flatley then invited Oscar to perform in Glasgow, which he was absolutely honoured and thrilled about, and the Irish-dancing superstar personally travelled to Scotland to introduce Oscar on stage.

“I was in shock when my mum called me at school to tell me I had been invited to

perform with the cast of Lord of the Dance,” Oscar said. “I just couldn’t believe it.

“It has always been my dream to dance lead in the show and I had a taste of that in Glasgow,” Oscar added. “It was the most wonderful experience which I will always treasure.”

Oscar’s teacher, Sharon Taylor, was similarly thrilled for her young charge and was fulsome in her praise of his talent and dedication as she spoke to The Irish Voice.

“He loved every second of being on stage performing with the cast,” Sharon said. “Michael gave a speech about Oscar during the show telling the audience all about him. Oscar’s family and friends were all in the audience cheering him on and he had the most amazing evening.

“Oscar has had a fantastic dancing competitive dancing career so far winning his fifth World Title in Chicago at Easter time this year. He has his exam year in school this year but is managing his classes, practice and study well and even has time to work with his personal trainer weekly.”

For his part, Flatley spoke of how Lord of the Dance now offers a route for stars like Oscar to become professional Irish dancers and encouraged them to grasp the nettle and follow their dreams.

“When we started there was no such thing as a professional career in Irish dance,” he said. “You competed, you won your medals and then you got a proper job.

“Now there are kids in every corner of the world training like athletes because they know there are opportunities to tour the world.

“That is the thing I am proudest of, more than any theatre we ever sold out. Oscar is the proof of it, and there are thousands more coming behind him.”