Gardiner Brothers bring Irish dance to Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show

Irish dancing will be part of the Stampede Grandstand Show this year, thanks to the Gardiner Brothers.

The Gardiner Brothers say their upcoming performances in the Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show are a welcome return to Canada.

It’s where the youngest brother, Matthew, won a world championship in Irish dance in 2015 with a perfect 700/700 score.

“I won that year in Montreal, in Canada, so there’s something about the Canadian soil that suited us well,” Matthew told CTV News.

“And he’s being humble as well. He worked his butt off,” said his older brother, Michael.

“He was incredibly sharp that day. It was remarkable to watch.”

Born in Denver, Colo., to Irish immigrants, the Gardiners went back to their ancestral homeland as boys to study at the Hession School of Irish Dance in Galway.

The siblings, who appear to be as much in sync in conversation as they are dancing, have both since won world championship titles and performed as the lead in Riverdance.

Their careers have taken off since the pandemic by producing social media content.

Their videos have been viewed more than 1.5 billion times.

“We love to work hard, but it’s so easy when you get to do it with your brother and you get to do something that you love,” said Matthew.

The brothers perform as part of the Stampede Grandstand Show from July 3 to 12.