New ballet director to break from traditions

The new artistic director of the Royal New Zealand ballet tells BERNADETTE RAE he wants to take the company into brave venues.

His style is high energy, enthusiastic and, as the new artistic director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Gary Harris says he "likes having a laugh".

In New Zealand in March as designer for Christopher Hampson's brilliant new work for the company, Saltarello, which toured with the Nationwide Roadtour, Harris and Hampson "broke into the bleach bottle in a big way" and paraded matching super-short and super-blond hairdos for the duration.

"That was a laugh."

Harris is unbelievably cheerful, even at 4.30 on a London morning when the phone begins to ring with New Zealand media people following up the news of his appointment.

"I am thrilled to bits," he enthuses in broadest, brightest Cockney. "I have been a regular guest teacher for the RNZB for five years and I loved the company's energy, its down-to-earth approach and real Kiwi spirit from the first. It has been a lovely company to visit. I can't wait to make my association a more permanent one."

Gary Harris is 44 years old, London-born and trained at the Arts Educational and the Royal Ballet Schools. He danced with the London Festival Ballet, now known as the English National Ballet from 1978 until 1985, a contemporary and colleague of Matz Skoog, whose shoes he will step into at the RNZB in August.

Skoog is returning in September to take over the artistic directorship of the English National Ballet. As Harris says, the dance world is a small world.

Since 1985 Harris has worked around the world as a freelance dancer, teacher, repetiteur and designer, including stints as associate artistic director of the Hong Kong Ballet and as assistant to the Royal Ballet's choreographer Sir Kenneth MacMillan. He put in five years at the Royal Ballet Company in Covent Garden, as a teacher and notator, from 1991, and has returned there regularly since, as guest teacher.

In 1998 he formed his own company, Visualantix, with the aim of "taking ballet out of its usual rarefied atmosphere" - and into the clubs where "people stay up to dance all night, but would never go and watch a dance performance".

Visualantix met with a huge and enthusiastic response, but now specialises more in corporate presentations.

"It takes," says Harris, "a lot of money to support even a small company."

Expanding the activities of the RNZB beyond the "rarefied atmosphere" of the traditional ballet circuit is one of Harris's many ideas.

He considers New Zealanders "amazingly supportive" of their national ballet company, and plans to build on that support by "really getting the company out there, making it a real part of people's lives".

His ideas revolve around the importance of community educational activities and of the company performing in different venues, such as outdoor sports arenas.

He is also wildly enthusiastic on the subject of making the RNZB the "ballet company of the Pacific" with a busy touring schedule, presenting a distinctly New Zealand style.

"The RNZB dancers are so versatile," he exclaims. "They can be en pointe one moment, rolling around the floor the next. That is a natural flow-on from the varied repertoire.

"They also have the ability to let their individual personalities come across - so when you watch them you get the idea that you are with a really nice bunch of people. It's great."

Harris also has the talents and the contacts to continue in the directions initiated by Skoog, with such success.

His association with Sir Kenneth MacMillan features high on his credentials and he names that as one of the major influences in his career, which may be a clue to future works for the company.

Harris is also at the nub of the contemporary scene and more visits from bright young international stars such as Hampson are likely.

New Zealand's own choreographic talent is also on the list to be "nurtured and encouraged in real ways", alongside continuing collaborations with the other art forms.

Harris does not see himself choreographing his own works with the company.

"No. Probably not. I enjoy choreographing - but if someone else can do it better, let them do it. I am better at staging stuff, at putting stuff together," he says.

"But designing? Yes. Yes, please. When Chris comes back I am sure I will be involved there."