.

When asked about his performing, Flatley said, "I wonder if my legs are going to be there when I get down....

In 1978 he retired from general competition as a musician and dancer, having compiled an unsurpassed record of technical and aesthetic excellence that included 168 first-place championships.

Flatley was a Golden Gloves boxing champion as well and considered becoming a professional boxer. Contests begin at the local level and work up to national competition, ending in the annual All-World Championships in Ireland.

Michael learned from his mother the rudiments of Irish step dance, a highly stylized form in which the upper body is held rigid, the arms vertical at the sides, while the legs and feet perform with athletic and rhythmic virtuosity.

At the age of 11, Michael tried to take formal lessons but was told that he was already too old to learn properly. His parents, immigrants from County Sligo, Ireland, instilled in their children a love and respect for the traditions of their homeland, especially music and dance.

But an offer from the Irish musical ensemble the Chieftains made him reconsider, and he joined the group for a worldwide tour. So I gave up the boxing idea."

Over the years, Flatley became renowned for an innovative dancing style that combined jumps of astonishing height, dazzling scissors kicks, lightning-fast footwork, and complex rhythmic syncopation.

He gained universal attention by dancing the lead role in the show Riverdance during the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994.

The show Lord of the Dance was created just 8 weeks after Michael left Riverdance. He carries his flute everywhere and plays it when he wants to relax. He moved the cars out of his parents' garage in the Oak Lawn suburb of Chicago and spent hundreds of hours there learning the basic steps and practicing.

The Chieftains are the greatest Irish musicians in the world.... Colm Flynn travels to meet Flatley at home, where he reflects on the highs of his remarkable career and the personal experiences that shaped his outlook on life and faith.
Born in Chicago to Irish parents, Flatley grew up surrounded by music, dance, and the values of hard work and perseverance.

The former world's record was 24 taps per second; Flatley managed 28.

He also gained a major position in the field of Irish flute music, winning the All-Ireland Concert Flute Championship for three consecutive years, 1974-1976. He was born on July 16, 1958, in Chicago to parents who had immigrated from Ireland in 1947. Flatley is the undisputed champion of modern Irish step dancing. I'm definitely setting out to prove that I'm still the best dancer in the world."