Why So Blu?

Interview With Rhythm in the Night’s Ann Profeta

In my opinion, when it comes to the world of Irish dancing, there’s always three names that instantly come to mind, first and foremost, Michael Flatley.   The Chicago native is single-handedly responsible for bringing Irish dancing to the mainstream worldwide audience with his involvement in the second name I want to drop on you, Riverdance.  His next venture in the world of Irish dancing went on to become one of the most popular shows ever created and it’s the third name that I alluded to above, which really needs no introduction, Lord of the Dance.  However, in recent years, a new name has entered my vocabulary whenever I think about the world of Irish dancing and that is (drum roll please) Rhythm in the Night: The Irish Dance Spectacular.  If you are not familiar with that name, don’t fret it.  You will be.  Trust me.  We are going to talk about that and so much more today, but before I forget, let’s add a fifth name to the list that you should think of whenever the thought of Irish dancing conjectures in your head, Rhythm in the Night‘s lead female dancer, Cleveland’s own Ann Profeta.

What I always find most interesting in regards to learning about new people I meet is inquiring what makes them tick, but also, what’s their backstory?  It’s always interesting to learn how a person went from point A in their life to point B.  Point B is usually their pinnacle dream that made the crowning achievement in their life possible.

For the community of Why So Blu readers, Rhythm in the Night should not be a foreign name to you at all.  We’ve covered some of their rousing performances before here on the site as well as their smashing soundtrack (full review can be read here), which you can now pick up on iTunes (hint, hint).  So I thought it would only be appropriate, being a former Clevelander myself, to shed some light on their upcoming tour and spend a few moments chatting with the woman in the spotlight that will be bringing the next level of Irish dancing, Rhythm in the Night, to the Lakewood Civic Auditorium, March 22nd, 2014 in Cleveland, Ann Profeta.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Ann to see what it feels like to be the fresh new face in Irish dance as well chat about her history, likes and what she has to say about all of this.  Seeing that the creators of the show, Justin Boros and Gregg Senko, hail from the Akron and Cleveland areas respectively, it kind of almost feels like serendipity in the fact that I get to cover it and most importantly that the show is coming home, right where it belongs.  So if I peaked your curiosity thus far, that means I’m doing my job.  Why don’t you sit back, relax and most importantly enjoy the following conversation I had with Ann Profeta and the next big Irish spectacular, Rhythm in the Night.  Something tells me you’ll be hearing a lot about them in the near future.

Brian:  Hi Ann.  How are you today?

Ann : Hi Brian! I’m doing very well, thank you.

*

Brian:  So we’re chatting today in regards to your return to “Rhythm in the Night, The Irish Dance Spectacular” as a lead in the 2014 Tour.  How do you feel about it? 

Ann: I am so excited. I have always wanted to part of a great production let alone the lead of one! This is such a great opportunity and I can’t wait for the show to start.

*

Brian:  I understand you’ve been around the world competing in dance.  Are you excited that  you’ll be performing as the lead when the show comes to our hometown of Cleveland, Ohio next March?  Do you still have family here?

Ann: Yes, Having the tour come to Cleveland is probably one of the most exciting things about the show. The majority of my family lives here, and I also attend school at John Carroll University, which is just outside the city, so all of my friends will be able to see the show as well.

*

Brian:  You were a part of the Rhythm in the Night performance I saw.  What will be different about it this time in regards to the shows on the 2014 tour?  Bigger?  Better?

Ann: Well, that show was a very quick lived experience. It was an amazing experience and the entire cast had a lot of fun, but I think the 2014 tour will be even better. The show was just a short few segments of the production, so I think that now that we can perform the entire show for an audience, the experience for them will be bigger and better. They will actually be able to experience the whole story instead of just small parts.

*

Brian:  I’m just curious, as opposed to the legendary Irish dance productions such as Riverdance or Lord of the Dance, how do you think Rhythm in the Night differs?

Ann:  I think that the music is something that really stands out. A lot of it is not typical Irish dance music. Also Justin, the producer and lead in the show is not your typical Irish dancer. If you were to look at him any other day, you would be completely shocked that he could Irish dance the way he does for a man of his stature. It’s very fun and cool to watch.

*

Brian:  The first thing that struck me about Rhythm of the Night, other than the really cool opening costumes, stage presence and dance choreography, was the beefiness of the show’s soundtrack, orchestrated by Andrew and Jared DePolo, that they tapped their hard shoes to.  I’m a huge fan of the Rhythm in the Night soundtrack that’s currently available in its entirety on iTunes.  I was wondering what’s your favorite number on the soundtrack?

Ann: I love “Rhythm in the Night.” I remember the first time I heard it my brother and I described it as epic. It really is epic, a very exciting song and well don’t by Andrew and Jared DePolo.

 *

Brian:  Personally for me, I feel the soundtrack really differentiates itself from other Irish dance shows with its robust orchestration and power.  What’s your take on it?  Do you think it will bring about a whole new style and something fresh that will take Irish dancing to the next level?

Ann: I think that this music is definitely different from other Irish dance shows. The music is so different from typical Irish music, especially the kind that you hear at competitions, so the fact that Rhythm in the Night is going to be able to put a little spin on Irish music will really bring it to the next level and I think the audience will enjoy it. They’re great tracks.

 *

Brian:  Now I thought it would be fun to learn more about you to share with our readers.  How did you get introduced to the world of Irish dancing?  Where has it taken you outside of the US?

Ann: My mom actually Irish danced, a dance school actually started in her basement. My family, especially my grandpa, is very involved in the Irish community in Cleveland, so I feel like I almost had no choice to start dancing and luckily I ended up loving it. It has taken me so many places; Ireland, Canada, the United Kingdom, and all over the United States from one coast to the other.

*

Brian:  Outside of the world of Irish dancing, what makes Ann tick?  What else are you passionate about in life?

Ann: I love music. I could listen to music and drive around on a sunny day all the time. I also love to travel. I am so fortunate to have a wonderful family who was able to bring me all of the places I have been to. I have traveled to some very cool places and done a lot of fun things thanks to my parents.

*

Brian:  Just curious, as an Irish dancer, what kind of music do you love?  What are your favorite bands or singers?

Ann: I am a huge Selena Gomez fan. I feel like I am a little teenage girl when I say that but I’ll admit it. But I also love all kinds of music. My brother has really gotten me to like house music lately, but I could really listen to anything like the Civil Wars, Miley Cyrus, Hunter Hayes, Krewella. As long as it has a good beat I’m all for it.

*

Brian:  Do you have any advice for people who want to be part of the world of Irish dancing?  How they get started?

Ann:  There are schools all over the country. Look it up online and the schools usually have open houses in the fall or summer. They are not hard to find. Irish dance is for any age. Even adults can dance. For example, my school, the Murphy Irish Arts, has about 30 adults who love to dance. Contact any school and you can start dancing without knowing a single thing about it.

*

Brian:  Since our site is primarily about movies and the entertainment world, I wanted to ask you what your favorite movie of all time is and why?

Ann: That’s a tough question, I love all movies but a favorite of all time would have to be The Harry Potter Series. I couldn’t pick just one. I was a HUGE fan since I was little. I made my mom take me to the midnight premiers since second grade. I think I just love the idea of magic, I wish it was real!

*

Brian:  And last but not least, if you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

Ann: I would love to be like Spider-Man. Being able to crawl up the side of buildings and shooting webs swinging from building to building would be the coolest thing ever.

*

Brian:  Thanks for being such a good sport with all my questions.  It’s always fun to get know people’s interests, passions and what makes them tick in life.  I wish you nothing but the best of luck on tour with Rhythm in the Night next year.  Is there anything else you want to a let our readers know about yourself or the Rhythm in the Night tour that we did not cover already?

Ann: Come see Rhythm in the Night, The Irish Dance Spectacular at the Lakewood Civic Auditorium on March 22nd, 2014!

*

Brian:  Thanks so much!  Have a great day!  You can also check out the complete list of 2014 Spring Tour dates below:

March 14, 2014…………………………..Paramount Hudson Valley…………………………..Peekskill, NY

March 15, 2014…………………………..Paramount Hudson Valley…………………………..Peekskill, NY

March 16, 2014……………………………………State Theatre………………………………………New Brunswick, NJ

March 17, 2014………………………………Canton Palace Theatre……………………………..Canton, OH

March 18, 2014………………………..Shea’s Performing Arts Center………………………..Buffalo, NY

March 20, 2014……………………………….Barrymore Theatre…………………………………..Madison, WI

March 21, 2014……………………………Madame Walker Theatre…………………………….Indianapolis, IN

March 22, 2014…………………………Lakewood Civic Auditorium…………………………..Cleveland, OH

March 24, 2014……………………….Charlotte Harbor Event Center………………………..Punta Gorda, FL

March 27, 2014………………………Janesville Performing Arts Center…………………….Janesville, WI

March 29, 2014……………………………………..Park Theatre………………………………………Cranston, RI

March 30, 2014…………………………………..Whitaker Center…………………………………..Harrisburg, PA

April 3, 2014………………………………………..Phillips Center…………………………………….Gainesville, FL

April 4, 2014……………………………………….DuPont Theatre……………………………………Wilmington, DE

April 5, 2014……………………………………Charleston Music Hall……………………………..Charleston, SC

April 6, 2014……………………………………Charleston Music Hall……………………………..Charleston, SC

*

Make sure to check out Rhythm in the Night‘s official website here.

*

Click below to preview and download the tour’s complete soundtrack!