Martin started
dancing at age 5 under the instruction of Deirdre McAleer ADCRG at the Shamrock
Club, Welwyn Garden City, England. Soon after that he started competing and won
his first championship at age six. From there he went on to become All-England
champion (undefeated) Great Britain champion, second at the All-Ireland and
placed third at the World Championships.
In 1996, after
graduating from university with a degree in Accounting, Law & Management he
passed the teachers exam (TCRG), allowing him to become a member of the
governing body of Irish dance – an Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha. He taught in
London, England for approximately 9 months until he was asked to join rehearsals
for Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance. He toured with the North
American Company for eight months and trained to perform the principal role.
July 1999 Martin moved to Las Vegas with the show as a principal dancer, playing
the role of “the lord,” originated by Michael Flatley.
A year later he
traveled to Dublin, Ireland to attend rehearsals for a new show entitled
Dancing on Dangerous Ground, starring and choreographed by Jean Butler
(original lead dancer with Riverdance) & Colin Dunne (former principal dancer –
Riverdance). The show had a three-month run in London’s west end culminating
with a brief run at Radio City Music Hall in New York. After spending a period
of six months bartending at his parent’s pub in a tiny village on the southwest
coast of Ireland, Martin joined the European touring company of Riverdance –
the show, on a fantastic tour of the Far East.
From there he
joined the North American touring company of Riverdance as a trainee understudy
until ending his contract in May 2003.
Today, along
with directing and instructing Irish dance, he is a principal
performer in the professional dance company, Strictly Irish. The Company
performs in a number of venues throughout the United States.
