A KERRY-BASED music producer has agreed not to use the Riverdance name in a forthcoming series of Irish dancing performnances in Russia, Ukraine, China, Germany and other countries.
Michéal Carr of Ceol Chiarrai (Ireland) Teoranta says that his dance company’s tour of Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, China and Germany, will go ahead as planned, but will do so under the title ‘The Original Irish Dance Show’.
This follows a High Court hearing today at which orders were granted on foot of applications from Abhann Productions and Riverdance Limited against Carr’s company using the Riverdance name for shows due to begin in October.
The order prevents Carr and his company from using the words ‘Riverdance’ or ‘Riverdance Tribute’ in any way. In a statement, Abhann Productions and Riverdance Limited said they were pleased to have the protection of the injunctions.
But they said they were disappointed that Carr had taken no steps to compensate Riverdance fans in Russia and elsewhere who had bought tickets “under the false impression that they were going to enjoy the real Riverdance experience”.
Carr said in his statement that Ceol Chiarrai believes that this matter must go to full hearing in order “to vindicates its rights both in Ireland and abroad”.
“Jobs and employment of many tribute acts throughout Ireland and Europe are at stake pending the outcome of this case.Pending the outcome of the full hearing Ceol Chiarrai today agreed not to perform the tribute act in Europe only,” he said.
A full trial of the issues is expected in the coming months.
Riverdance added that it intends to pursue the promoter of the fake Riverdance shows in Russia “and bring this deception to a halt” before genuine Riverdance performances begin there in June 2014.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say