'I was mesmerised': Riverdance World Tour visits South during 25th anniversary celebrations

• Watch the report by ITV Meridian's Heather Edwards

The Riverdance World Tour are in the South to celebrate 25 years since it transformed entertainment.

The world was first introduced to the dance as an interval act during the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994. The 7 minutes that followed, totally transformed entertainment and went on to break records all over the globe.

The dancers have had the chance to travel from Mongolia, to Alaska to Dubai, doing performances with the Riverdance team.

The tour should have happened last year but it had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

Bobbi Hodges, The Principal Dancer, said he remembers watching their Eurovision performance as a 6-year-old boy at his Grandad's house.

He said: "I can just remember being completely mesmerised and I think everyone's jaws were just on the floor. I don't know if it was just the power of the music or the impact of 35 people dancing perfectly in unison, or the rhythm of Irish dance, or the fact it was just so unusual. I think when you combine all of that, that's what makes it so powerful."

One of the Principal dancer's, Amy-Mae Dolan, said her family loves Riverdance.

She said: "I had the video tape and I watched it over and over again. My parents played the music for me and I was mesmerised by the music by Bill Whelan.

"It takes years of training really hard to be the best Irish dancer you could possibly be. We rehearse every single day and our motto is 'every night is opening night'."

• Amy-Mae Dolan, Principal dancer:

The dancers will be performing in Portsmouth on Wednesday (24/11) before moving to Bournemouth, Brighton and London before Christmas.