left Riverdance in January 1997. In 1998, following Dunne's departure from Riverdance, Butler once again collaborated with Dunne to create the show Dancing on Dangerous Ground, which was based on the ancient Irish legend of Diarmuid and Gráinne. It opened in London in 1999 to critical acclaim, and then in New York. In 1999, she was also presented with the Irish Post Award for "outstanding contribution to Irish Dance". From 2003 to 2005, Butler was Artist In Residence at the University of Limerick's Irish World Music Centre. In 2009, she received the "Outstanding Contribution to Arts & Culture Alumni Award" from the University of Limerick. Later career She received a commission from the Irish Arts Council to create a solo work in 2004. In 2005 she released an instructional DVD, Irish Dance Masterclass With Jean Butler, which her sister also participated in, and completed a master's degree in Contemporary Dance Performance from the University of Limerick. She premiered "Does She Take Sugar?" on April 12, 2007, at the Project Arts Centre in Dublin. With Colin Dunne and George Hook she is a judge on the Raidió Teilifís Éireann reality series Celebrity Jigs 'n' Reels. She retired from active dancing in 2010. In January 2011, it was announced that she had designed and released her own jewellery line. The collection was launched at Showcase Ireland at the RDS later that month. Films Butler has appeared in several films: The Brylcreem Boys, Goldfish Memory, The Revengers Tragedy and Old Friends. She has also auditioned for large-budget Hollywood films such as, Meet Joe Black with Brad Pitt, and The Postman with Kevin Costner. Personal life In 2001 she married Irish designer Cuan Hanly. See also List of dancers References External links Article by Michael Seaver on Does She Take Sugar? Dancing on Dangerous Ground 'Riverdance' star Jean Butler hangs up her Irish dancing shoes for soft pumps Riverprancer; Jean Butler lifts the lid on life with Riverdance co-star Michael Flatley New Terrain for Barefoot Riverdancer 1971 births American female dancers Dancers from New York (state) American people of Irish descent Living people Performers of Irish dance Hofstra University alumni Alumni of the University of Birmingham Alumni of the University of Limerick People from Mineola, New York 21st-century American women