Riverdance presents Sasha and Malia Obama with specially embroidered Irish dance shoes

Following a special performance of Riverdance for the US First Family at Dublin's Gaiety Theatre last night, Michelle Obama and her two daughters, Sasha and Malia, met with the cast of the show backstage.

Lead dancers Padraig Moyles and Maria Buffini presented the two girls with their very own Irish dancing shoes, which had their names stitched into the leather.

Producer Julian Erskine explains how the idea for the gift came about:

'At a meeting with the White House staff to discuss arrangements for the visit of the First Lady, Riverdance director John McColgan suggested that we would give the Obama daughters Malia and Sasha a present of Irish dancing shoes.' 

'I made contact with Eamon Fay of ‘Fay’s Irish Dancing Shoes’ who rose to the challenge and designed and made up two pairs of shoes with the girl’s names and date of the special occasion embroidered into the leather.'

'The girls were thrilled to receive such a personalised memento of their visit to the Gaiety Theatre for their first Riverdance experience.'