Gillian Norris facts for kids
Gillian Norris was born on December 29, 1978. She is an Irish dancer and model. Gillian is famous for her amazing dance performances in shows like Lord of the Dance and Feet of Flames.
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Early Life and Dance Training
Gillian Norris was born in Kilmacthomas, a town in County Waterford, Ireland. Her parents are Mary and Desmond Norris. Desmond was a carpenter and a well-known singer. Gillian is the youngest of five children in her family.
She began dancing when she was 10 years old. Her parents enrolled her in dance lessons at the Higgins School of Irish Dance in Waterford. Gillian quickly became a talented dancer. She won several important titles, including:
- All-Ireland Championship
- Great Britain Championship
- British National Championship
She also achieved third place at the World Championships, showing her incredible skill.
Starring in Lord of the Dance
Gillian Norris became a professional dancer in Michael Flatley's famous show, Lord of the Dance. She played a main character named "Morrighan, The Temptress."
Her first performance with the show was in July 1996. It took place at the Point Theater in Dublin. Gillian toured all over the world with Lord of the Dance. She danced in the show until 2000. Her performance as Morrighan can be seen in two videos:
- The original Lord of the Dance video
- The 1998 Feet of Flames video, which was filmed live in Hyde Park, London
Touring with the Show
When Lord of the Dance first started in 1996, Gillian danced with Michael Flatley himself for about a year. In late 1997, she joined the second touring group, known as Troupe 2, in the United States.
In July 1998, Gillian returned to Troupe 1, the main group. She danced the lead role in Feet of Flames during the show in Hyde Park. She continued to tour Europe with Troupe 1 until she left the show in 2000.
After Her Dance Career
After leaving Lord of the Dance, Gillian Norris moved back to Ireland. For a short time, she explored careers in modeling and singing. In the summer of 2001, she briefly danced in another show called Ragus in Dublin.
Later, Gillian decided to study beauty therapy. She was a top student in her class. In June 2005, she opened her own beauty salon and spa in Kilmacthomas, her hometown.
Gillian once shared her thoughts on performing: "To me, no matter if there's two people I'm performing to or 20,000 people, I'd perform the same way. I go out to make those happy; they deserve that, they're paying to see me dance and that's what I do; I go out and do my job." This shows her dedication to her audience.
