Feet of Flames: the Impossible Tour -- Warriors (FULL) featuring Zoltan Papp

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Күн бұрын

His name is Zoltan Papp - and yeah, he really is that good.
Michael Flatley refers to him simply as “The Master” - and now, finally, you get to see why.
Zoltan is the living embodiment of the difference between a dancer and a performer. To simply dance the steps is not enough; to simply go through the movements is not enough. To be truly memorable, you have to sell the dance. You have to leave the audience thinking to itself, “I don’t know who THAT guy was, but I want to see more of HIM.”
This is doubly true because of Zoltan’s background. This kid from Kistarcsa didn’t formally begin learning #IrishDancing until his early twenties. He had trained in multiple other forms of dancing, but imagine the mountain he had to climb: a completely unknown Hungarian who chose to make a living as a professional Irish dancer, despite starting literally decades later than his competitors and having never performed in any competition Irish dancing.
And now, today, a Hungarian in his early forties with no competition background is the senior dance captain for the most commercially successful #IrishDance show of all time.
Like we said: he’s that good.
And perhaps because of the mountain he had to climb, he dances with that same chip-on-the-shoulder swagger that Michael Flatley himself embodies. The difference is that Zoltan is tasked with one of the most unique challenges in Irish dancing: he has to be the villain.
Remember the very first time you watched the original #LordOfTheDance? It was frankly a shock when Warriors began and you saw Don Dorcha. It is the moment when the gears shift in the show, the tone becomes negative, and you realize you’re seeing an actual drama, not just a technical exhibition.
You cannot have a good story without a good villain. If the audience doesn’t buy the villain, then the drama itself falls flat. But when you unleash Zoltan Papp upon that stage, he causes the same sudden involuntary gasp that came out of your mouth the first time you saw Darth Maul unleash a double-bladed lightsaber. This wasn’t an actor who’d learned choreography; this was a killer.
Perhaps part of what fuels Zoltan’s performance is that he knows - and we know - that he could easily be the hero. Heck, he could be the temptress. Or the spirit. His range as a dancer, his knowledge of so many different forms, is so expansive that he could easily and believably play anything on that stage. But since he is specifically limited to only a portion of his total spectrum as the villain, within that spectrum he pushes the envelope all the way to the cancel postage stamp. If you tell him he can only paint with the color red, he will paint THE REDDEST RED YOU WILL EVER SEE IN YOUR LIFE, WITH EXPLOSIONS, BECAUSE ZOLTAN.
No, seriously. Zoltan could turn eating a bowl of cornflakes into an epic life-and-death struggle. With explosions. All of that focused talent, barely contained right under the surface, creates a level of urgency that’s mesmerizing. This is Irish dancing meeting heavy metal.
Zoltan Papp dances almost to the point of self-immolation. And that’s what makes him exciting: his willingness to cut loose. During his time touring with Troupe 2, he was known for sometimes jumping off the stage and actually messing with the audience. Or he’d grab one of the staves used by the druid girls during Hell’s Kitchen and begin performing a martial arts kata with it.
Long story short: when you see Zoltan Papp performing, you get the overwhelming sense that the universe put him on this planet to do exactly what he’s doing - and he’s having the time of his life doing it. His Don Dorcha is Kefka from Final Fantasy VI: the pure bugnuts insanity of a beautifully dangerous fallen angel.
In the twenty-five-year history of the show, the character of Don Dorcha has been immortalized on film by three performers: Daire Nolan, Tom Cunningham, and Steven Brunning. Zoltan now becomes the fourth. It may be strange to think of him as part of the New Generation - he’s a veteran of Celtic Tiger, having performed in Michael Flatley productions for sixteen years - but the simple truth is this: if your shortlist of the most exciting professional Irish dancers in the world doesn’t include a fortysomething Hungarian with no competition experience, then your list is wrong. Change it.
At long last, the brilliant insanity of Zoltan Papp has been captured on film.
This is the #FeetOfFlames Impossible Tour.
This is Lord of the Dance.
This is the New Generation.
And this is the Master, Zoltan Papp.
To quote William Carlos Williams: “Hold back the edges of your gowns, ladies, we are going through hell.”
#FollowYourDream

Пікірлер: 52

@marlene-rr2ih 3 жыл бұрын

I don’t know who THAT guy was, but I want to see more of HIM.

@MichaelFlatleysLordoftheDance 3 жыл бұрын

Marlene gets bonus points for reading the video description. :)

@simon95379 3 жыл бұрын

Takodje

@nathanjoerndt8804 2 жыл бұрын

@@MichaelFlatleysLordoftheDance My favorite part is when the good guys and the bad guys face each other and when the good lord and the dark lord battle it out!!!!!

@louisejffisher4630 Жыл бұрын

:) Best to you all Jen

@odonovan Жыл бұрын

"His name is Zoltan Papp - and yeah, he really is that good. Michael Flatley refers to him simply as “The Master” - and now, finally, you get to see why." Pardon me, but I saw very little actual dancing from him. I didn't see much of anything but him posing while the ensemble behind him did all the work. He might be very good. He might even be incredible. However good he is, we didn't get to see it in THIS clip.

@keriannerose8223 3 жыл бұрын

I know I’ve already said this a million freaking times at this point... but Zoltan’s story is my most favorite one. I remember seeing him on the Celtic Tiger behind the scenes videos, talking about how he got started dancing after seeing Michael live. I love to see someone so humble succeed, and to do it so flawlessly... all hail king Zo! ♥️

@supernova42x35 3 жыл бұрын

I saw that too!! :)

@ilonamuori 3 жыл бұрын

He is amazing. Really amazing. He's got the same perfection of movement and special combination of dancing and acting, like Michael Flatley has.

@Carol-sx6rg 2 жыл бұрын

Zoltan is very good in his character as dark lord ! 🙌🙌 Love his energy

@megankrahulec9466 Жыл бұрын

My new favorite rendition of this dance!

@kletrain7079 Жыл бұрын

Don Dorcha has gone Psycho, love it........

@ELY359 3 жыл бұрын

Blurb writer, you've outdone yourself. I stan. Zoltan is the manifestation of Michael Flatley's mantra - follow your dream. Powerful performance.

@MichaelFlatleysLordoftheDance 3 жыл бұрын

Blurb writer thanks you. :)

@kislanymanci7603 3 жыл бұрын

Wow Zoliiiiiiiiii nagyon nagy vaaaaaagy!!!!!! Zoli in full beast mode!! Those facial expressions! How incredibly passionate he is! Congratulations to all the members, this was awesome!! Lovin’ it❤️❤️🏆 Zolika- méltán lehetsz büszke, elképesztő, amit csinálsz!!🇭🇺🇭🇺🇭🇺 Jase, you’re doing such a great job cutting and editing these precious videos!!! 🏆

@LordAurix 3 жыл бұрын

FAVORITING THIS! This is incredible!!! Its an amazing modernization of the original! I love it!!!

@davieheitman893 3 жыл бұрын

I think this tops all of the versions of this number. Amazing!

@lintym 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely brilliant, amazing, wonderfull

@KimiF17954 3 жыл бұрын

I'll always love daire nolan as the dark lord but this is a good modern take. Still prefer original myself.

@jgvaughn1 2 жыл бұрын

Same here. I think I like Daire because he did all the emotion without a costume, except a mask. He was excellent!

@smartguy458 Ай бұрын

The Master's face is giving crazy and demonic.

@ericrose7450 2 жыл бұрын

I absolutely love the original version but this one is plain BAD ASS. The facial expressions of Zoltan Papp is as good as his dancing. Which is amazing.

@carolinejennings5021 3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely amazing!🤗

@bobeerosne1163 3 жыл бұрын

Zoli, büszke vagyok Rád. Szeretem az Ír népzenét és táncot. Így tovább.

@מוניקגרף 3 жыл бұрын

I love them so much powerful dancing

@joyhursey1480 3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely amazing!

@addvisszaakiflimet 2 жыл бұрын

Eladnék egy jó bojlert!

@lizwardo83 3 жыл бұрын

A fabulously unhinged portrayal of the dark lord! Love it!

@rainerdorr2939 3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely great job 👏👏👏

@ysoldeclaireduffy7344 3 жыл бұрын

A magician on stage..go zoltan .U r awesome

@TheDermo77 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing!!

@francoisehenry764 3 жыл бұрын

Musique et danse toujours aussi merveilleuse

@jimwesselman 3 жыл бұрын

Bravo!!

@Terrybogard0 2 жыл бұрын

Each interpretation of this piece game me different vibes, first one game Me Order, second interpretation gave me Wild, third one was Savage, This one is more animalistic, the Evolution is amazing.