Taking ballet into the heartland

By BERNADETTE RAE

Sue Paterson, general manager of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, quotes a predecessor on the topic of the present Nationwide Road Tour, in which the company divides in two, takes an island each, and performs in 46 centres.

"Night in, night out they performed," wrote Beatrice Ashton, in The New Zealand Ballet: The First 25 Years, "rarely twice running on the same stage. Next day they would travel in convoy, unload, set the stage, rig the lights, iron the costumes, eat, rest, perform, then pack out, load the vehicles, have a party, sleep soundly, only to do it all over again tomorrow."

The honourable tradition of travelling to perform in New Zealand's heartland was most recently revived three years ago.

"We have learned from that experience," Paterson says, "and refined the process. We will move around the country in a more logical flow, this time, and there will be a maximum of two-hour drives each day, with a few big exceptions - Twizel to Kaikoura, for example.

"And the dancers will get two full days off each fortnight."

Three years ago the "smalls tour," as company members quaintly call it, had a sponsor in Telecom.

This year the event takes place sponsor-free. The search for sponsorship unfortunately fell in one of those economic downturns.

"But it is far too important a national event for us to cancel," says Paterson. "The rural sector is an important part of our audience. We have worked too hard to build the relationship to let them down."

The system set up three years ago is to sell the show to "presenters" around the country. Groups such as friends-of-the-ballet groups, local arts councils, ballet schools, local authorities and, in one country town, the local librarian hire the venue, do the advertising and sell tickets at a realistic price.

Profits are ploughed back into the communities that take it on. The company, without a sponsor, will suffer a loss this time.

But there are many benefits in doing the tour.

"The dancers adore it, it gives us an opportunity to perform a programme with great variety, and it builds great team spirit," says Paterson. "Besides, we are a touring company - that is what we do."

And the country has again taken the tour to heart, with tickets selling out within hours of issue, in many places.

The North Island and South Island programmes differ slightly, but Saltarello is the centrepiece of both. It is a work commissioned from rising ballet star Christopher Hampson, that blends contemporary passion and classical technique.

Also on the programme are two traditionally classical pieces: the pas de deux from August Bournonville's Flower Festival in Genzano and Marius Petipa's Raymonda Divertissement. Works choreographed by company dancers and by New Zealand contemporary dancer and choreographer Raewyn Hill balance out the performances.

Cameron McMillan's piece, Unsuspecting View, sits with Saltarello in the second half of the both programmes.

McMillan, 23, won first place in the Asia Pacific International Ballet Competition in 1997 and will leave New Zealand in September to try his luck on the international scene.

Unsuspecting View is an exciting tango-inspired pas de deux, that began life in a choreographic workshop.

"I made it thinking especially of a twenty-something audience," he says. "It is classical in technique but with an edgy, modern feeling."

* The Nationwide Road Tour plays at the Waikato Academy of Performing Arts, Hamilton, Wednesday; Auckland's Bruce Mason Theatre, Friday to Sunday; Papakura's Hawkins Centre, March 20; Titirangi War Memorial Hall, March 21; Kerikeri, March 23; Kaitaia, March 24; Whangarei, March 27-28; Thames, March 31; Putaruru, April 3; Rotorua, April 4; and Whakatane, April 5.