Around the same time, he passed his dance teachers exam (T.C.RG) and was teaching successfully with Marion Turley in Coventry and giving workshops in the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
The latter led to a memorable performance with Frankie Gavin and Stéphane Grappelli at Belfast's Ulster Hall, and then to a collaboration with American tap dancer Tarik Winston for the Irish Society St. Patrick's Day Ball in New York City in 1995.
However, with the departure of original male lead and choreographer Michael Flatley the day before the re-opening of the show at The Apollo in London, Dunne took over the principal role at short notice.
[8] He toured with the production for three years, taking the show to its U.S. premieres in New York (Radio City Music Hall) and Los Angeles (Pantages Theatre), and also to Australia.
"[10] Dunne's next project, Dancing on Dangerous Ground, was created alongside Jean Butler and was based on the myth of Diarmuid Agus Grainne.
The show premiered at The Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London in December 1999 and went on to perform to full capacity at Radio City Music Hall in March 2000.
After an eighteen-month period living in New York, Dunne returned to Ireland in 2001 to take a position as dancer-in-residence at the University of Limerick at the invitation of Micheal O'Suilleabhain.
As part of his final MA, he choreographed "Headfoot" for the Daghdha Dance/Yoshiko Chuma production of 10,000 Steps which closed the first Dublin International Dance Festival in May 2002.
Other work during this period included choreography for The Abbey Theatre (The Shaughraun 2004), and performances with the Irish Chamber Orchestra (Tour of Ireland 2004 and Carnegie Hall 2005).