Congratulations to RNZB dancer Yang Liu and husband Evan Li on the birth of their beautiful baby daughter Jiayang Li (Jocelyn) earlier this month. We wish them every happiness as they settle into family life.

Congratulations also to RNZB Board Member John Ryan who has recently been appointed as Auditor-General and will take up this important new role on 2 July. Also a Trustee of the New Zealand Festival and a former Chair of the New Zealand School of Dance, John was appointed to the RNZB Board in 2017, having served a previous term in the early 2000s.

We say a fond farewell to dancers Georgia Powley and William Fitzgerald who have left the RNZB to pursue new opportunities. Georgia has been a member of the RNZB since 2016, joining the company as the Todd Scholar. William joined the RNZB from the New Zealand School of Dance in 2014. Both have made an outstanding contribution to the RNZB and the company wishes them every success in the future.

We are pleased to welcome dancer Kiara Flavin to the ranks of the RNZB. Kiara trained at Canada’s National Ballet School and joins us from England’s Northern Ballet, where she has danced since 2014. Kiara will join the company in July.