Colin Dunne

Colin Dunne (born 1968 dancer and choreographer, best known for being a principal lead dancer in Riverdance in the 1990s. A leading figure in the world of traditional Irish dance, Dunne performed with Riverdance between 1995 and 1998 before starting his own production, Dancing on Dangerous Ground. He transitioned to contemporary dance in the 2000s, with his first solo show, Out of Time, premiering in 2008.

Early life Dunne was born in Birmingham, England, to Irish parents from Monaghan and Wexford. He followed his two older sisters to Irish dance class at the local school when he was just three years old.

Dunne graduated from Warwick University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics before going on to work as a trainee accountant at the Birmingham offices of Arthur Andersen. At the same time, he had gained his dance teachers exam (T.C.RG) and was teaching in England, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. He resigned from Arthur Andersen on the day he became a qualified chartered accountant to go on a month long tour of Canada with The Chieftains.

Irish dance career Between 1992 and 1995, Dunne toured regularly with musical groups The Chieftains and De Dannan. During this time, he formed a dance partnership with Jean Butler. Dunne left the show in June 1998,

Dunne's next project, Dancing on Dangerous Ground, was created alongside Jean Butler and was based on the myth of Diarmuid Agus Grainne. The show premiered at The Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London in December 1999 and went on to perform to full capacity at Radio City Music Hall in March 2000. The show closed in June 2000. premiered at Glór Irish Music Centre. As of May 2016, his show was still touring the United States.

In September 2016, Dunne's new collaborative show, Edges of Light, began touring Ireland. The show premiered in New York in June 2017 and continued to tour as of July 2018.

Personal life As of November 2019, Dunne was living in Limerick, Ireland.