Dancers show ingenuity and flair

The Royal New Zealand Ballet's performance of A Song In The Dark drew praise from British reviewers. Photo / Supplied

From Here to There, the Royal New Zealand Ballet's touring British show, could easily sum up Andrew Simmons' life so far.

Growing up in Christchurch in the 1990s, the 26-year-old yearned to become a ballet dancer. After joining the Wellington-based national company in late 2003, he became one of their principal members before turning to choreography in 2008. He is now based in Dresden.

His piece A Song in the Dark was performed in Britain by RNZB as part of a triptych of pieces that included works by leading international artists Jorma Elo and Javier De Frutos.

"It was a little bit like Billy Elliot but maybe not as severe as what they portrayed," laughs Simmons when I ask him whether his childhood resembled the stage play and film.

"I started dancing when I was 6 years old, although I don't have a really vivid memory of ever having a huge desire to do it. I just strongly remember watching my friend, who lived around the corner, taking an after-school ballet class and the next thing I remember is taking the class. I must have shown some interest, which was a very different thing for a boy to do at the time."

Simmons was part of RNZB's 2004 tour of Britain, which took in more venues than this year's more succinct schedule, which wound up last weekend in Sisteron, Provence.

"I was a dancer back then so it was a lot less stressful," he admits with a smile. "I was really young and still finding my feet in the company so I wasn't so aware of how outsiders were looking in on us and what the reception really was."

Divided between a full staging of Romeo and Juliet and an ensemble showcase, RNZB's 2004 itinerary earned them a couple of Olivier award nominations.

Beginning in Cardiff before heading down to London for three nights at the Barbican as part of the City of London's Australasian-focused Trading Places festival, this year's tour - featuring just 19 of their 32-strong troupe - has won plenty of plaudits.

The Evening Standard described them as "a textbook case of how a small company can defy the definitions that size usually brings" while the Guardian paid tribute to their "eclectic, open spirit".

"It's been really positive," says Simmons. "It's such a huge thing for the company to come all this way and they've done really well. It's not as bad as it used to be but you're shut off from a lot of stuff in New Zealand so you can feel really isolated."

Simmons himself has been singled out for praise with the Standard declaring the dancers "looked especially good during A Song in the Dark" and that his "restrained solos and duets showed he is capable of crafting dance of ingenuity and flair".

Set to Philip Glass' Tirol Concerto, it was neatly situated between the more experienced Elo and De Frutos' respective works. "I like being in the middle because the dancers are more settled," he says. "The audience are already engaged and have something to compare it to."

Simmons is impressed by the appointment of Ethan Stiefel as RNZB's new director, pronouncing him "a ballet superstar". Before taking up his new position in September, the former American Ballet Theatre dancer met up with the company in Britain. On the afternoon of their final London show, I headed backstage to watch the still youthful-looking 38-year-old hold his first class with his new charges.

In a recent Guardian article on RNZB's British trip, dance critic Judith Mackrell called Stiefel "US ballet royalty" but questioned whether the job should have gone to a New Zealander. Stiefel conceded that he has asked himself: "How can I make dance in New Zealand better, how can I develop a signature style for the company - one that works for the audience as well as the dancers, and that's sustainable over the long term. It can't just be about my own ideas."

According to Simmons, imported talent has always played a significant role in the company, which was founded by Royal Danish Ballet principle Poul Gnutt in 1953, comparing it to a football team. "If you look at Chelsea or Manchester United, they have some English players but they also have a hell of a lot of overseas players," he says.

"They've got to go for the best players and it's the same with many ballet companies. It's a real international art form but RNZB really do nurture their own. The Australian ballet is chockablock with Australian dancers and it's a real example of a company that's full of homegrown talent, but you can't discount New Zealand. There are a lot more New Zealander dancers now than there was a few years ago. When I first joined there were four men but there's definitely at least 10 now."

He also disputes Mackrell's contention that he moved abroad to further his career. "If you want the black and white truth, the only reason I left New Zealand is because my wife works in Germany," says Simmons, who met his Australian wife when she danced for RNZB.

"I still 100 per cent think of myself as a New Zealander and RNZB holds a special place in my heart as it was the company I watched when I was young."

A Song in the Dark was first performed in New Zealand early last year and From Here to There marks its international debut, which Simmons hopes will bring him some much-needed attention.

"Before that my ballets had only been toured back home so it was a really big thing in Cardiff and opening night here was quite tense," he says. "It went really well but who knows? It's tough. It's not really a waiting game but you've got to keep sending your stuff out to people and maybe they might have some money to give you to create something."