P a t R o d d y
It is no surprise that Pat Roddy is one of the most outstanding Irish dancers of his generation.
He has an unrivalled pedigree in this discipline, having started at the early age of four years under the skilled and enthusiastic tutelage of his parents, Tony and Una, who were well-known as dancers far beyond their home town, Dundalk, County Louth.
Both of them were dancing champions, his father Tony setting an unbroken three-in-a-row record in the Senior Men's World Championship - a feat that has been repeated only once since then.
Pat made rapid progress and was soon competing in competitions at all levels, reaching World Championship level by the time he was eight. He won numerous dancing titles including the Ulster, All-Ireland and Great Britain Championships. At the age of thirteen, he won his first World Championship.
Although Pat flourished in a number of other activities - including music, Gaelic football and soccer, Irish dancing remained his continuing loyalty, and he went on competing at the highest levels, winning the World Championship again in 1995.
Pat credits his parents with his dancing success and the talent runs in the Roddy family: he shares his flair and love of performing with his younger sister Niamh who has also danced with other Riverdance companies.
He had been contemplating studying for a career in Physical Education, but it took little prompting for Pat to put these studies on hold when he was invited to join Riverdance - The Show.
He has been an integral part of the show since it premiered at the Point Theatre, Dublin in February 1995 and, while hoping eventually to pursue an acting career, he looks forward to being associated with Riverdance - The Show for many more years, as the theatrical phenomenon continues to win new audiences all over the world.
He brings his own distinctive style and energy to the role of Principal Dancer, from his first explosive entrance and continuing throughout all the expressive, intricate and demanding sequences that punctuate the entire performance.
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* * * Biography of Pat Roddy thanks to Riverdance Online * * *