It’s hardly a surprise that Michael Flatley is a big fan of Christmas. The 67-year-old dancer and choreographer is, after all, a master of pageantry and someone who, although he identifies as Irish, exudes American positivity. “I’m a big child. I just love the whole spirit of Christmas,” he says.
We’re meeting to talk about Lord of the Dance – 30 Years of Standing Ovations which launches in February 2026. The new incarnation of the show he designed more than 30 years ago is a big, colourful dance extravaganza with a host of new dancing talent, and Flatley is proud of the production.
“We’re in the joy business,” he says. “For 30 years, we’ve brought joy to audiences around the world. “If someone comes to my show, they might have had a tough day,” he adds. “But if they leave my show smiling then I’ve done my job in bringing a little bit of joy into their life, and proudly promoting Ireland and Irish culture.”
His reference to promotion of Irish culture is interesting, given his presidential bid in September. It was short lived, as he pulled out citing health issues. Today he says he’s “feeling great” despite having been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in January 2023, and undergoing treatment. At the time, he likened having cancer to being in the “loneliest place in the world”.
He also suffers from chronic pain due to injuries he sustained dancing. “My body is in ribbons – my C1, my C3, my T3, my L5, my sacroiliac joint,” he says, referring to damaged vertebrae and pelvic joints. “I’ve a torn right calf muscle, two ruptured Achilles tendons, a fractured bone on my right foot that won’t heal, a fractured rib that won’t heal, and two shoulders that need replacing.
“People will never know what I’ve been through,” he adds. “It looks like I’m having a great time, travelling the world and staying in fancy hotels, but they’ve no idea of the work that goes into a show – the hours and hours of hard work, and the blisters and the broken bones.” However, he has no regrets about a lifetime spent on stage. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I followed my dream, and I’ve made friends with that pain.”
Despite his ailments, Flatley refuses to retire. “I get up every morning: I have two double espressos and I go for a walk or a run. There’s a racing car in my head that won’t stop and it’s automatically filled with new creative ideas,” he says. “Besides, it’s easy to sit at home and feel sorry for yourself if something goes wrong, but I want to be an example.”
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In particular he wants to be an example for his son, Michael St James Flatley, who began university this year and is studying maths and computer science. “He’s my everything,” says Flatley. “He doesn’t have to do anything for me to love him.”
He’ll be spending Christmas this year, as always, with Michael jnr and his wife Niamh. He recalls previous years spent at Castlehyde, his mansion on the banks of the river Blackwater in east Cork.
It’s more than two years since he and his family had to vacate the property after alleged toxic chemical residue was detected. A complicated legal battle ensued, negotiations surrounding which are ongoing, and in the meantime, he and Niamh have been living between homes in Monaco and the French Riviera.
His dream, he says, is to spend Christmas this year at Castlehyde. “The house is always aglow with lights, we have five Christmas trees and we light all the fires in the house. We attend Christmas Eve Mass and have a big Christmas party, with local people invited. The house is happy – you can feel the energy,” he adds. “I’m big on energy.”
It’s a far cry from his modest upbringing as one of five children, on the south side of Chicago in a neighbourhood he describes as “tough”. We didn’t have much, but we did have good Christmases,” he says, looking a little wistful. “I’d be there with Mom and Dad and my siblings. They were Christmases filled with love, and that’s really all that mattered.”
Such is his love of the yuletide season that he has created a Christmas-themed Irish dance show which he believes is possibly his best work, and which he hopes to debut in November 2026.
In the meantime, he celebrates in the way he knows best. “Every time I hear that Christmas music, and maybe I’m walking down the hallway with a glass of champagne in my hand, on my own on Christmas Eve, and I think, “Da, da, da da, da dahhh … ” He starts to sing Jingle Bells and launches into a seated dance, his arms raised to the side and his chin tilted in character. “I can’t help it,” he grins. “I wish Christmas could last all year.”
Tickets for Lord of the Dance – 30 Years of Standing Ovations are currently on sale