• By ROBIN MILLER
• Arts writer
• Published: Oct 25, 2009

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

You’d think that the prospect of dancing in Louisiana wouldn’t seem so exciting after performing on the Great Wall of China.

Or even in the Kremlin in Moscow.

“We had to have our green cards with us at all times in the Kremlin,” Marty Dowds said. “It didn’t matter that they saw us performing there every day — we had to show them our green cards.”

So, that must have created a lot of tension, right?

“Oh no,” Dowds said. “Everyone loved us. The response was so great. Everyone coming into the Kremlin really enjoyed watching our dancing.”

And really, not many people can resist the Riverdance. Millions upon millions throughout the world have fallen in love with this show of Irish step dancing since its debut in Dublin, Ireland’s Point Theatre on Feb. 9, 1995.

Michael Flatley earned his place in dance history as the lead in that show, becoming more popular as the show traveled throughout the world.

“And people sometimes ask about him,” Dowds said, laughing.

“It’s been 10 years since he’s been with the show.”

Dowds has been a part of the Riverdance cast since 1997.

And he’s the lead in Jam Theatrical’s traveling production that will open the 2009-2019 Broadway in Baton Rouge series on Monday, Nov. 2. The show will play three nights in the River Center Theatre for the Performing Arts, concluding on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

And Dowds is excited by the prospect of spending three days in Baton Rouge.

“I’ve never been to Louisiana,” he said. “I’ve heard so much about it, and I’m really looking forward to it. We have time to get out and see things when we’re in the city for a show, and I can’t wait to see Baton Rouge.”