Who is Irish Dancer Jean Butler

Jean Butler was born in 1971 in Long Island, New York. She is American born but her family roots go back to her mother's family in County Mayo, Ireland.

Jean began training in Irish dance at the age of four with the widely respected teacher Donny Golden. She studied tap and ballet as well. But step dance became her focus early on in her life.

Her talent was clear from a young age. She became a competitive dancer on a regional, national and international championship level. She won numerous titles. Her sister, Cara Butler also was a dancer and entered the competitive levels as well.

Prior to her rise to fame with Riverdance, Jean danced with Green Fields of America (a group that Michael Flatley also performed with) and Cherish the Ladies. At the young age of seventeen, she debuted with The Chieftains at Carnegie Hall and toured with them on three continents.

Butler attended Hofstra University and earned an Honors Degree in Theatre and Drama from England's University of Birmingham. While a student in England, she met the Irish dancer Colin Dunne which was to pave a future of dance partnership for them. They performed together at Mayo 5000. Later in their careers, they produced the irish dancing show 'Dancing on Dangerous Grounds' together.

Jean's rise to fame came when she performed as female lead dancer in a seven minute intermission piece at the Eurovision Song Contest with Michael Flatley in 1994. That was the prelude to the creation of the full-length version of Riverdance.

Jean was female lead dancer to Michael Flatley in Riverdance until his departure from the group. She was then joined by Colin Dunne. Riverdance was widely popular as a long running and successful show. Jean eventually left the group as well.

Jean Butler and Colin Dunne (who had also left Riverdance) collaborated again to create the show Dancing on Dangerous Ground, which was based on the ancient Irish legend of Diarmuid and Gráinne. Their show opened in London in 1999 and then came to New York. She was also awarded the Irish Post Award for "Outstanding Contribution to Irish Dance."

Her self-created solo work premiered when "Does She Take Sugar?" made it's dance debut in April 2007 at the Project Arts Centre in Dublin.

Jean Butler has also appeared in several films: The Brylcreem Boys, Goldfish Memory, The Revengers Tragedy and Old Friends. In 2001 she married Irish designer Cuan Hanley.

In 2005 she released an instructional DVD, Irish Dance Masterclass With Jean Butler.

She entered the television world in Europe with Colin Dunne and George Hook as a judge on the Radio Telefís Éireann reality series Celebrity Jigs 'n' Reels.