Graham Norton and Claudia Winkleman host the inaugural Eurovision Dance Contest live from London on Saturday 1st September, as 16 countries compete for the Eurovision Dance trophy.
Nicola Byrne and Mick Donegan will represent Ireland as each of the 16 competing couples perform two dances, one ballroom style and one freestyle with a national influence. Nicola and Mick will perform a jive and an Irish inspired dance.
Marty Whelan will be providing the commentary assisted by ballroom dance champion Michelle Alonzi.
Five teams of professional dancers from RTÉ Television’s dance show “Celebrity Jigs ‘n’ Reels” competed for selection to represent Ireland. A jury made up of Jane Gilheaney, Director of the Shaylyn Dance Company, David Bolger, Artistic Director of Coiscéim Dance Theatre and Julian Vignoles, Assistant Commissioning Editor, RTÉ Entertainment chose the winning couple.
Nicola Byrne and Mick Donegan are accomplished and experienced dancers having performed at shows in Ireland and abroad.
Nicola from Castleknock in Dublin, began dancing at four years of age and danced competitively for 18 years. Her dancing career has taken her around the world performing at folk festivals and events in England, Holland, Austria, Germany, France, Monaco, Hungary, Norway and North America. A World, All-Ireland and North American Irish dancing champion, Nicola has just finished starring in the lead role of the world famous Riverdance show in Dublin. After first joining the renowned Riverdance Flying Squad in 1999, she joined the dance troupe for its run in the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin and its subsequent Far East tour of Asia and Japan in the summer of 2005.
Mick Donegan from County Cork began dancing at the age of seven and went on to win accolades at provincial, All Ireland and world level. Like Nicola, Mick also joined Riverdance and became the youngest male to ever perform the lead part when he was just 16 years of age.
Mick has also danced in venues all over the world including Radio City Music Hall in New York and The Royal Albert Hall in London.
He is also a talented choreographer and has choreographed or part choreographed numerous dance shows including Ragus and Celtic Legends. Mick has recently returned from a nationwide tour of Japan with the show Ragus.
Viewers from the 16 competing countries will decide the winner by televote.
RTÉ’s Pamela Flood will present the results of the Irish televote.