Anthony Sharkey used to dream about being in "Riverdance."
"I first saw a program called 'Eurovision Song Contest,' which was the precursor to 'Riverdance,' in 1994," Sharkey said by phone from Redding, Calif. "I was 14 at the time, and I wanted to be a part of that.
"Two years later I was asked to be in 'Riverdance,' but I was too young to do it. Then, 5 1/2 years ago, I was finally able to join the company."
Not that it was quite that easy.
Sharkey, who was raised in Enis, County Clare, Ireland, began dancing at the Ui Ruaice School of Dancing when he was 5. From his early youth until his teens, he performed and competed in various Irish dance programs and competitions. He has won two world championships and was pursuing a physical-education teaching career before the call came from "Riverdance."
"I'm still planning on going back to school to get a degree sometime," Sharkey said. "But right now, I'm with this company. And it has been a dream come true."
Not that there aren't challenges to being a part of the critically acclaimed, award-winning production. "To me there's a psychological challenge going on," Sharkey said. "We're on the road performing every night. Sometimes it's hard to get your body going. Sometimes it's difficult knowing you're going to be dancing in a few hours. Sometimes it's hard being with a bunch of people far away from home and knowing you don't have a lot of time to be alone when you need to be. When you're on tour, it is hard to find some personal space to retreat to when you don't want to be social."
However, those pressures are all part of the job. And Sharkey takes them in stride. "It all goes away when you go on stage. Sure there are times when you have a bad night, but this company is trying to give its best performances every night."
The company that will be making a stop in Salt Lake City this week is a relatively young troupe, said Sharkey. "There are only a few of us who stayed on when they made changes last September. Most of the dancers have only been with us for seven months. But they are all good, strong dancers who have added a new energy to the show."
"Riverdance" is all about Irish song, music and dance. It's an entertaining study of Irish culture and Irish art and how the two have impacted other cultures. "There is a story that we're telling with our performances. While the dancing has become basically second-nature to us, we still are trying to convey a story about what we're doing and how it developed."
Sharkey said that while the dancers have a responsibility to perform their best, they also have help. "We've got two physical therapists who tour with us. We need to give 150 percent each performance, and there are times when injuries occur. So we also need to take care of ourselves in order to dance. We also go to the gym every day. We take part in dance class and Pilates."
The schedule is tight but the rewards of being a part of "Riverdance" are worth the sweat and pain. "I remember performing the production on Broadway. As we were taking the bows, it hit me that I had just performed on Broadway at the George Gershwin Theatre. I began thinking of all the famous people who have performed on that stage, and it was overwhelming."
If you go . . .
What: "Riverdance"
Where: The Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South
When: Tuesday through March 28, times vary
How much: $30-$57.50
Phone: 355-2787 or 1-800-451-2787
Web:www.arttix.org
E-mail: scott@desnews.com