Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Riverdance Artiste On Doomed Air France Flight 447


Brazilian and French search ships in the Atlantic Ocean about 650 km (400 miles) northeast of the Fernando de Noronha islands off Brazil's northern coast have recovered more bodies near the spot where the Air France Airbus A330 is believed to have gone down more than a week ago. Air France Flight 447 disappeared and likely broke up in mid-air in turbulent weather May 31 during a flight from Rio De Janeiro to Paris with 228 people aboard - now all presumed dead, and making it the world's worst air disaster since 2001. Among the 216 passengers on Flight 447 were 61 French nationals, 58 Brazilians, 26 Germans, 9 Chinese and 9 Italians. A lesser number of citizens from 27 other countries were on the passenger list including 2 Americans and 3 Irish lasses.

The 3 young Irish doctors, Aisling Butler 26, Jane Deasy 27 and Eithne Walls 28, all close friends, were enjoying a two-week vacation together in Brazil. They had boarded the flight from Rio De Janeiro to Paris after a reunion with a larger group of alumni who had graduated in 2007 from Trinity College Medical School, Dublin. Walls (picture above) was working in the Eye And Ear Hospital in Dublin. Before embarking on her medical studies she worked full-time as a dancer in the famed Riverdance troupe in 1998 and continued to perform part-time during her six years in medical school. Messages of condolences for Walls have poured in on the internet and Riverdance website, and the family of Walls intends to hold a memorial service in Northern Ireland to honour her.

Riverdance is a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish step dancing, notable for its fast and intricate leg movements while the body and arms are kept largely stiff. Riverdance was first performed as an interval act during the Eurovision Song Festival in Dublin in 1994 where the dancers took the stage by storm and brought with them an energy and sensuality never seen before in Irish dance. The first full length performance of Riverdance premiered at the Point Theatre in Dublin on February 9 1995. The show has since been performed around the world to rave reviews. Currently there are 3 Riverdance troupes performing around the world - one playing Ireland each summer, one touring North America, and a third company touring Europe and the rest of the world.




1 comment:

emily said...

I must say, i really liked the artistry behind the movements, i think the site is really nice, keep strong!