Jean Butler to join lineup to celebrate 20th anniversary of Irish dance sensation “Riverdance”

The seven-day celebrations hope to include the first female lead of “Riverdance”

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Jean Butler, the first female lead in Michael Flatley’s “Riverdance," is negotiating a return to the show in order to mark its 20th anniversary.

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Jean Butler, the first female lead in Michael Flatley’s “Riverdance," is negotiating a return to the show in order to mark its 20th anniversary.

Organizers hope to involve Butler in a special performance at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin which will take place in July over the course of a seven-day festival in collaboration with ‘The Gathering’.

Although Butler left “Riverdance” over 15 years her name is synonymous with the show and a return appearance at the 20th anniversary festivities is particularly fitting.

Creator of the festival, John Colgan, said that he would also "love to incorporate" Flatley into the celebration and that although he isn’t dancing anymore he would “love to see him involved in The Gathering weekend in some way," the Irish Independent reveals.

Part of the celebrations will also include an attempt to break the world record for the longest “Riverdance” line which is currently held by Nashville, Tennessee. It is hoped that 4,000 Irish dancers will line the banks of the River Liffey in the attempt to set a new world record which currently stands at 652 dancers.

A free concert will also be held in Merrion Square on July 20 and the festivities will end on a high note with two shows taking place at the Gaiety Theatre.

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