'Tutus On Tour' comprises a curated collection of five works which encapsulate the history of ballet, including two pieces that showcase the intimate magic of a couple dancing together. Photo / Stephen A’Court
'Tutus On Tour' comprises a curated collection of five works which encapsulate the history of ballet, including two pieces that showcase the intimate magic of a couple dancing together. Photo / Stephen A’Court
The Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) is celebrating its 70th birthday with a New Zealand tour of its show Tutus on Tour and will also bring the magic to Hamilton as part of the rebranded Hamilton Arts Festival.
The show, including a free performance for schools, will come to ClarenceStreet Theatre from March 3 to 5 and will take the audience back to the RNZB’s early days travelling through time.
For Tutus on Tour, RNZB artistic director Patricia Barker has curated a collection of works that encapsulate the history of ballet, and treasures from the RNZB’s recent past.
It will include Marie Taglioni’s Le Papillon (The Butterfly) from 1860, Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain (2005), Nobody Takes Me Seriously (2001) and Cold Winter’s Waiting (2013), and Greg Horsman’s Holberg Suite (2009).
Barker says: “Our 70th anniversary Tutus on Tour is a beautiful journey through magical ballet moments. It is an opportunity for audiences to experience how ballet has evolved through the decades, and for the dancers to showcase their incredible abilities to shift choreographic styles.”
Le Papillon and After the Rain showcase the timeless magic of a couple dancing together, creating a breath-taking, intimate world on-stage for the audience.
The Royal New Zealand Ballet will start its grand anniversary tour in Kāpiti on February 23.
RNZB dancer Damani Campbell Williams says After the Rain in particular was “truly magical”.
“Although there is no exact narrative, each movement carries so much weight and meaning that I get completely lost in it... I’m so excited to share this masterpiece with RNZB audiences,” Campbell Williams says.
Meanwhile, Cold Winter’s Waiting and the Holberg Suite are works for eight dancers.
Principal Mayu Tanigaito, who celebrates her 11th anniversary with the RNZB this year, says she has performed Tutus on Tour in many places across New Zealand.
Long-time Royal New Zealand Ballet dancer Mayu Tanigaito.
“I have many great memories. The smaller venues allow for a more intimate connection with the audience, and we always feel very welcome.”
The RNZB will have a free performance for schools in Hamilton on March 3 at 1.30pm. This interactive event offers a glimpse into the world of ballet for school-aged students. Schools need to register online.
The other performances, as part of the Hamilton Arts Festival, will take place on March 4 at 1.30pm and 7pm, and March 5 at 1.30pm at Clarence Street Theatre. Tickets are available online.
The RNZB is the national ballet company of Aotearoa and is based in Wellington. It was founded in 1953 by Danish dancer Poul Gnatt as a touring professional ballet company, and it has a history of performing with the country’s most renowned orchestras, including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
