Lord of the Dance
　　As the clickety-clack of Irish step dancing and the sound of traditional Irish music fill the air, an audience of thousands breathlessly watches the Riverdance performance. As the dancers swing their arms sensually, their legs kick and tap furiously. They move perfectly together, astonishing the audience with the elegance and speed of their motions. The brilliant star of Riverdance, Michael Flatley, steps forward, smiling brightly, and the audience applauds rapturously.
　　Michael Flatley is recognized as the most extraordinary Irish step dancer of all time. The son of Irish immigrants to America, Flatley learned his first dance steps at age four. They were taught to him by his grandmother, Hannah Ryan, who was a former Irish dancing champion. At age eleven, Flatley was sent to dance school for formal training. But as fate would have it, the school felt that Flatley was too old to learn Irish dancing. Michael, however, rose to the challenge. Six years later, he won the All-World Irish dancing championship.
　　The success that Michael Flatley enjoys today did not come easily. During one winter in Chicago, he was cold and poor, and his yearning to become the world’s greatest dancer seemed but a pipe dream. Hannah Ryan came to visit her grandson, and encouraged him to earnestly pursue his dream. These words gave Flatley the confidence to stay focused on his dream. Sadly, Hannah passed away just two weeks after her visit. Her inspiring words, however, continue to influence Michael.来源：考试大
　　After Hannah’s death, Flatley eventually joined The Chieftains, a traditional Irish band, and danced on stages across the world. He set world tap-dancing speed records, and received an award recognizing him as one of America’s greatest living artists. Riverdance, which originally aired during a break in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, was the break he’d been waiting for. People loved the show, and Flately became an overnight dance sensation. Now that his foot was in the door, he was poised to take the world by storm.
　　The fast-paced action of Riverdance stunned audiences, and brought Michael Flatley the fame he had always wanted. The show was short lived, however, as Flatley left Riverdance amid controversy in 1995. Just eleven days later, the tenacious dancer risked financial ruin by sinking everything he had into a new production: Lord of the Dance. The show won instant critical acclaim, and provided further evidence that Michael was a man who refused to give up.采集者退散
　　Michael’s journey to stardom proves that anyone can achieve their dreams, provided they are determined to succeed. Michael’s grandmother’s belief in his dream helped him overcome all obstacles and realize his greatest wish. That is why, at every performance he gives, Flatley pays tribute to Hannah by leaving one empty front row seat. The Lord of the Dance has faced many difficulties along the road to success, but as he has said, “Life isn’t about the number of times you’re knocked down, it’s about the number of times you get back up.”