The next important development in Irish dance came with the 1994 Eurovision launch of Riverdance. This event, followed by the continuing success of the Irish dance troupe, led to a massive increase in global interest for Irish dance. Over the following 20 years, the number of competitors at the World Championships increased dramatically, and the percentage of dancers from outside Ireland and the U.K. lifted to nearly 50%. The rapid increase in the number of dancers across the world accelerated the globalisation, and led to the election of Peter Smith in 2004 as the first president resident outside Ireland.