"Lord of the Dance" Star Michael Flatley was born in what country?

Michael Ryan Flatley (born July 16, 1958) is an American dancer, choreographer, and musician. He became internationally known for Irish dance shows "Riverdance", "Lord of the Dance", "Feet of Flames", and "Celtic Tiger".

Flatley is a native of the South Side of Chicago. He is of Irish background, being born to Irish parents Michael and Eilish. His parents were both Irish-born, but migrated to the US several years before Michael's birth. He began dancing lessons at age 11 and at age 17 was the first American to secure a World Irish Dance title at the World Irish Dance Championships. He is also an accomplished flautist, having won twice in the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil Concert Flute competitions from 1975-1976 and later in his career having released two albums. In his youth, Flatley also practiced amateur boxing; at age 17 he competed for the Chicago Golden Gloves Championship title.

Flatley was taught dance by Dennis Dennehy at the Dennehy School of Irish Dance in Chicago, then went on to produce his own show. After graduating from Brother Rice High School, on Chicago's Southwest Side, he opened a dance school, but later closed it down to focus on performing.

"Irish America" magazine named Flatley Irish American of the Year in March 2003. In 2004, Flatley received an honorary doctorate degree from University College Dublin, and that same year received the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor in New York.