Celtic Throne brings high-energy Irish dance to Israel

Just after intermission in the two-hour, energetic, toe-tapping, hand-clapping, yee-haw howling performance by the Irish dance troupe Celtic Throne, principal dancer Jude Flurry said people often ask them why they come to Israel – and why during a war.

The reason, he said in Hebrew: “We love Israel.”

The full house at Tel Aviv’s Bronfman Auditorium went wild. With those words, Flurry and his troupe won the crowd over.

From that moment, even had their numbers not been danced in amazing synchronization, even had one of the dancers fallen during a twisting backflip, even had Flurry dropped the spear-looking baton he danced with, even had the under-12 child dancers not looked storybook sweet, it wouldn’t have mattered.

But there still seemed something off, something incongruous. Here was the lead dancer of a show exalting the beauty and majesty of Mother Ireland – through choreography, song, dance, and magnificent LED backdrops – professing love for Israel. How could that be, especially given that Ireland is arguably the most anti-Israel country in Europe, a country from which – because of the Irish government’s animosity – Israel withdrew its embassy?

'We love Israel, we are family'

“We are family,” Flurry said – again in Hebrew. At first, I thought he was speaking metaphorically, referring to the brotherhood of man. But he wasn’t. He meant it literally. They really are family – well, five families, to be exact. It’s the Irish dance version of the Von Trapps.

There’s the Flurry family: Jude’s sister, Vienna, is co-creator, principal dancer, and choreographer. Their parents are the producers. Then there’s the Hilliker family, with the father a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, and two of his children among the featured dancers. And it goes on and on through three more families.

The effect is twofold: first, it creates a strong on-stage chemistry among the performers; second, it keeps the show G-rated. Not all Irish dance shows are family-friendly – some, like Riverdance or Lord of the Dance, include sensual choreography and highly suggestive costumes.

Not this show, entitled Psalter II. It is family-safe: the costumes are modest and elegant, and there is no sensual movement or romantic duets.

There is, however, two hours of high-octane dance that spans multiple styles: tap, square, martial arts, and gymnastics. It is punctuated by big vocal numbers and traditional Irish melodies.

One standout scene features about 30 dancers engaged in a dueling tap sequence set in a schoolroom, jumping on and off tables and creating a syncopated rhythm – using only their heels and handclaps – that sticks with you.

Another scene has Jude Flurry squaring off against a traditional Irish frame drum – the bodhrán – with his tapping feet moving faster than the drummer’s hands.

Don’t be surprised if you leave the theater moving your feet – fast – arms stiff at your sides, humming that old Irish sea shanty they performed: “Heave away, my jolly boys, we’re all bound to go!”

The storyline may be tough to follow and doesn’t make a whole lot of sense – some ancient Irish guy going from Jerusalem to the Emerald Isle – and there might be a technical glitch here and there. During one of the big numbers, for example, the sound cut out, and a handheld mic had to be rushed to the vocalist, who recovered with impressive aplomb, earning cheers from the crowd.

Those minor hiccups aside, this show was two hours of sheer musical and dance energy that made you feel good, happy, and very much alive.

In these war-torn days, that alone is worth the price of admission.

The show will be appearing around the country in the coming days: https://celticthrone.com/shows/2/tours-and-tickets?country_group=israel