Get A Taste For The Performing Arts

[Update: Pick & Mix Ballet 22/6/13 Cancelled

Regrettably, the Pick & Mix performance and workshop by dancers of the Royal New Zealand Ballet has been cancelled as the stormy weather in Wellington had closed the airport and their flights have been disrupted... More>>]

Get A Taste For The Performing Arts

Free for the whole family every Saturday from 22 June - 31 August, 10.30am - 12.15pm

Mid-Winter Saturday mornings have more to offer than just being rugged up on the sideline - 11 weeks of tasty treats to get you through winter!

Back for its fifth year and better than ever Pick & Mix has 11 weeks of Performing Arts to fill the winter months. From ballet to comedy, story-telling to hip hop, circus skills and theatre techniques, there is something for everyone this winter. Every Saturday morning, musicians, dancers, performers and storytellers will perform and run workshops for the whole family to enjoy for free. It’s the perfect start to the weekend.

Performances run from 10.30am to 11.15am and then Workshops from 11.30am to 12.15pm and with the freedom to come and go as you please and without the restrictions of set seating or tickets it’s the perfect vehicle to introduce your family and friends to something you might not have experienced before.

“Pick & Mix was created to introduce people to something new, with no pressure or expectations, and to offer something different to Aucklanders throughout the winter months” says producer, Sally Barnett. “Pick & Mix has become a go-to for families who want to try something new, since its inception in 2009.”

The ever popular Royal New Zealand Ballet is the first Pick & Mix event of the year on 22nd June giving you the first taste of what’s on offer during this three month journey of creative discovery. They will perform excerpts from their much anticipated show Swan Lake held in the gorgeous Civic theatre, where the stunning star show will play on the ceiling before everything kicks off.

“It’s going to be magical. An opportunity to set foot in one of New Zealands most beautiful theatre’s and see excerpts of Swan Lake danced by the Royal New Zealand Ballet, it’s an opportunity not to be missed ” says Sally “The RNZB is just the first of many delights this Pick & Mix season though. We have extremely talented artists in Auckland and it’s a great opportunity for them to showcase their craft to a new audience and for us to introduce a young audience to the performing arts”

Pick & Mix has something for everyone of any age, especially the young at heart. Come and join in the fun or just relax and be entertained. It’s all happening on the house and we want you to be part of it!

Please visit http://www.the-edge.co.nz/Discover-the-Arts/Arts-Programmes/PickandMix/Pick---Mix.aspx for more information about Pick & Mix and what’s on when or for further information contact 09 307 3355. For parking and transport information go to www.the-edge.co.nz/parkingandtransport

Pick & Mix Calendar

22 June – Ballet

29 June – Magic and Comedy

6 July – Drum and Rhythms

13 July – Fairytale Theatre

20 July – Musical Theatre

27 July – Revolting Rhymes

3 August – Spoken Word

10 August – Hip Hop Clowning

17 August – Smart Sheep

24 August – Digital Puppetry

31 August – Aerial Circus

22 June

BALLET

The Civic

The Royal New Zealand Ballet presents a special performance in the beautiful Civic Theatre featuring excerpts from their latest stunning production Swan Lake. Learn some of the classic moves from one of the best loved ballets, Swan Lake. No experience necessary – just turn up and enjoy!

29 June

MAGIC & COMEDY

Aotea Centre

Join Award Winning Comic Magician Jarred Fell as he combines fast-paced razor sharp wit and a tornado-like approach to Magic, Shock and Comedy. Learn some magic to take home! Jarred will teach simple coin & card tricks and balloon modelling.

6 July

DRUM & RHYTHMS

Aotea Centre

A high energy show from Strike, New Zealand's most outstanding percussionists, drawing on styles from across the globe to introduce a broad range of modern rhythms, Hip-Hop beats and chart songs. Everyone is given a piece of percussion to play.

13 July

FAIRYTALE THEATRE

Aotea Centre

Fun improvised scenes that fire a Childs imagination, using their suggestions to shape stories. The finale re enacts a popular fairy tale, enlivened with the children’s input. A series of games introduce the story telling techniques displayed in the performance. By the end of the session, the kids will have the skills to re-enact their own favourite story.

20 July

MUSICAL THEATRE

Aotea Centre

Join the cast and creative team of the National Youth Theatre Company for excerpts from Matilda, Grease, Joseph, High School Musical and more! Create and perform a brand new original song with the NYTC team!

27 July

REVOLTING RHYMES

Aotea Centre

An eccentric Narrator reads from Roald Dahl’s infamous book while a madcap actor plays all the characters with lightning-fast costume changes. Fun and frivolity for all ages! Act out your own revolting rhyme where you too can play all the parts.

3 August

SPOKEN WORD

Aotea Centre

Come and see the South Auckland Poets Collective perform their brand of spoken word poetry unique to Aotearoa. You will laugh, shout, cry and begin to look at poetry in a completely new way. Create a short poem then bring it to life as a performance poet!

10 August

HIP HOP CLOWNING

Aotea Centre

Elements of hip hop, theatre, clowning and character development, combined to provide a highly entertaining and interactive performance bought to you by a collaboration of Artists. This workshop will create a space where you can explore and play with you inner ‘clown’ through movement and physical theatre.

17 August

SMART SHEEP!

Aotea Centre

Award-winning childrens’ book Baa Baa Smart Sheep, a cheeky trickster’s tale featuring Little Baa Baa and Quirkey Turkey, will be told live by Mark Sommerset with music and performance. Create your own Smart Sheep or Quirky Turkey to take home with you.

24 August

DIGITAL PUPPETRY

Aotea Centre

These stories take place in a world of shapes, masks and characters to be realised through Digital Puppets, comically brought to life by two performers and projected on the screen. Jump into the role of the puppeteer, manipulate the characters on the screen, and find out how the technology works.

31 August

AERIAL CIRCUS

Auckland Town Hall

Show 1: In the dead of night the toy box comes alive... the sailor discovers a beautiful; mermaid on a rock and promptly falls in love! Rag-doll is in love with Tin Solider but he just keeps winding down!! And then it's Show 2: Chaos at the zoo!! The monkeys are squabbling, the Lyra bird is swinging from her toes and the snakes escaped his cage!! Look out!

A short introduction to the wonderful world of circus with the acclaimed Dust palace team. Juggling, acrobatics, slapstick and aerial silks! Please note: The schedule for this Pick & Mix is different from the others; each session will have a 20 min performance followed by a short workshop.

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