RIVERDANCE will play York Barbican from April 12 to 14 next year on its 21st anniversary tour with a new generation of Irish dancers.

Promoters Live Nation will be touring 13 venues with a cast that will feature, for the first time, some dancers who were born in the same year that the show first opened at the Point Theatre in Dublin, in 1995.

Composed by Bill Whelan, produced by Moya Doherty and directed by John McColgan, Riverdance's celebration of Irish dance and culture has been experienced by more than 2.9 million people in well over 1,000 performances in Britain.

Producer Moya Doherty says: “Twenty one years after the curtains opened on the first show in 1995, we are proud to be still performing all around the world. We always look forward to our dates in the UK and these shows are sure to be very special.

"To celebrate our anniversary, we've enhanced the production with new lighting, new costumes and a new number. This is the best of Riverdance with new energy from a stunning young cast of dancers, many of whom were not yet born when the show started.”

The York shows will start at 8pm plus a 2.30pm Wednesday matinee and tickets are on sale on 0844 854 2757 or at yorkbarbican.co.uk. The tour will move on to Leeds Grand Theatre from April 19 to 22 at 8pm nightly plus a 2.30pm Thursday matinee; box office, 0844 848 2700 or leedsgrandtheatre.com