New Zealand School Of Dance Performance Season 2023

The New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) is proud to announce its highly anticipated Performance Season, showcasing the extraordinary talent of its students. With two alternating programmes of ballet and contemporary dance, this season promises to captivate audiences with outstanding choreography and breath-taking performances.

In these specially curated programmes, students from across the School’s three year groups will showcase their artistry in an impressive repertoire of legacy pieces, collaborations with inventive choreographers, premieres and commissions.

The ballet programme features captivating works from three renowned American choreographers, staged by former Ballet Master for San Francisco Ballet, Betsy Erickson.

Acclaimed dance maker Val Caniparoli will be represented by his quirky, playful Street Songs and intense duet, Double Stop. Former Artistic Director of San Francisco Ballet, Helgi Tomasson's Meistens Mozart is sweet and charming, while Lew Christensen's Vivaldi Concerto Grosso is an inventive, neo-classical gem that has not been performed previously by the School.

Expressing his excitement about this year's programme, NZSD Director Garry Trinder said, "Coming out of Covid, we wanted to use this year's ballet programme to reconnect with some of the international choreographers and répétiteurs we have long been associated with. This year's programme comprises three works that have proven to be enduring and popular with our audiences, as well as a work that will be new to us, offering a fresh and invigorating challenge to our students."

In the world of contemporary dance, we take great pride in the involvement of our talented NZSD graduates, who are both re-staging existing works and creating new ones.

Former Australian Dance Theatre Artistic Director, Garry Stewart, presents his enthralling creation, The Beginning of Nature. This powerful work explores the intricate relationship between humanity and the natural world, leaving audiences captivated by its thought-provoking narrative.

The programme will also feature a revival of Australian Amber Haines' critically acclaimed 2016 work, Incant. Haines' piece delves into the depths of human emotion, inviting viewers on a mesmerising and intriguing journey.

Lauded New Zealand choreographer Ross McCormack will be creating a new work alongside commissions from NZSD graduates, Felix Sampson and Kit Riley, highlighting the School's commitment to expanding the boundaries of contemporary dance.

Performance Season at Southward Theatre and Te Whaea: National Dance & Drama Centre – 16 Nov – 2 Dec 2023. Tickets from $19 - $42 are available at www.nzschoolofdance.ac.nz

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