REGARDED as something of a heartthrob among the Irish dance community, there’s no doubting the calibre of talent that Bristol-born Bobby Hodges possesses.No stranger to the World Championships, Hodges won 10 world titles with his school before going professional and landing a role as principal dancer in Lord of the Dance. In 2012 he joined Prodijig, the winners of Sky One’s Got To Dance and went on to help create their debut show Footstorm. He is now one of the male leads in Heartbeat of Home, the new show from Riverdance’s producers. We spent ten minutes with Bobby…
What are you up to right now? We’re currently in our final week of the North American premiere tour of Heartbeat of Home.
Who are your heroes? My parents. The sacrifices they have made to allow me to achieve what I have are amazing. I owe everything to them.
What's been the best decade of your life so far and why? Definitely the last 10 years. I’ve been able to travel the world, make great friends and perform on stage every night doing what I love.
What made you want to be dancer? I first saw Riverdance as the interval act for the Eurovision Song contest. After seeing Michael Flatley perform I immediately began begging for dance lessons.
What is your favourite place in Ireland? Dublin. We spent last summer rehearsing Heartbeat of Home and I fell in love with the city. It’s so diverse now and there’s such a positive buzz around the place.
What makes you angry? In terms of dance; when you see someone who is wasting their talent. Whether it’s due to a lack of confidence, bad attitude or laziness I get frustrated.
What book influenced you most? I’m a big kid when it comes to books so I have to say the Harry Potter books are my favourite and kept my imagination active even as a teenager.
A scene from Heartbeat of HomeWhat was the worst moment of your life? There were times as a kid when I would compete in Irish dance and I wouldn’t get the result I felt I deserved. At the time it felt like the worst moment ever but in hindsight it made me work that much harder and I don’t think I would have achieved all I have without those earlier setbacks.
If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be? That I don’t age. I want to be able to still perform at the level I can now even in 20 years’ time. That would be amazing.
Can you recommend an interesting website? StumbleUpon.com If you have spare time, use it to your advantage and explore sites tailored to your interests. Get off of Facebook and learn something!
What is the best lesson life has taught you? Keep moving forward. There’s going to be times when you think nothing is going your way and you may as well give up on whatever it is your doing but dig deep and push through. You don’t know what opportunities lay ahead.
What is your favourite film and why? This is difficult. I have to say I love the Ocean’s trilogy. The combination of humour, action and charm makes each of the films as entertaining as the last.
What do you believe in? The people who helped me get to where I am and myself.
What trait do others criticise you for? I can sometimes be mistaken for being cocky. I am my own worst critic when it comes to performance but I do believe in myself. I try my best to make sure people see it as confidence and not cockiness.
Where do you live and what are the best and worst things about that place? I live in Bristol, England. It’s so colourful with a vibrant history, there’s always something to do or see. However, I’d prefer if it were located off of the coast of the Mediterranean so it didn’t rain as much.
On what occasion is it OK to lie? I’m a firm believer in that the truth makes everything less complicated. A lie to protect someone only makes it worse in the long run. Be upfront with people. The people that matter will still be around when it’s all said and done.
What do you consider the greatest Irish dancer? I think the best Irish dancers are those who understand both their strengths and weaknesses and develop their own style instead of trying to copy others. My dance partner Ciara Sexton (see page 4) is a fine example of someone who has transferred her personality into her dancing and become so unique in her performance that she stands out on stage always.
What is your ultimate guilty pleasure? Performing eight shows per week is very physically demanding so I love the mental challenge that poker brings especially if you combine it with a table full of friends and a few beers.
Who is/was the love of your life? My girlfriend Natasia. She is the most enjoyable person to be around and keeps me grounded.
