The Riverdance star Michael Flatley has been identified as having a “aggressive” form of cancer.
The Irish dancer and director wrote the following on Instagram: “Michael Flatley has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. He has undergone surgery and is in the care of an excellent team of doctors.”
His team requested prayers and well wishes and stated that no further comments will be made while including a picture of Flatley gazing out to sea.
Following a seven-minute performance at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, Flatley became well-known. For his theatrical production Riverdance, which fused traditional Irish music and dance, it was later enlarged. In 1996, the Point Theatre in Dublin hosted the premiere.
He later produced theatre productions like Celtic Tiger, Lord of the Dance, and Feet of Flames. At the Wembley Arena, Lord of the Dance set a new record by performing 21 consecutive shows. In the late 1990s, Flatley’s legs were covered by a £25 million insurance policy.
After a St. Patrick’s Day performance in Las Vegas in March 2017, the dancer had to quit due to an injury. In order to raise funds for the humanitarian assistance in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, Lord of the Dance performed a 25th anniversary tour in 2022.
After being diagnosed with a malignant melanoma in 2003 after it was discovered by a viewer on MTV, Flatley has previously battled skin cancer. For cancer causes, he has already raised money.
He told the Irish Independent the following when discussing his cancer treatment: “It was purely by chance that it was noticed. I had never even noticed it … it can be a frightening place to be.”
The 64-year-Irish old’s parents immigrated to the US in 1947, and she was born there in Chicago. Later, he continued to learn Irish dancing in the city and went on tour with The Chieftains, an Irish folk band.
In addition to having connections to the cancer charity Breakthrough, Flatley has raised money for cancer research. In 2021, he served as an ambassador for a project that essentially formed a 33rd Irish “county” of 200,000 individuals to represent cancer survivors in Ireland.
After retiring, he went on to create, direct, fund, and star in the 2018 spy movie Blackbird, which was shown in theatres the previous year.
