The Royal New Zealand Ballet is pleased to welcome two new members to the company’s permanent artistic staff.

Nicholas Schultz and Laura McQueen Schultz will leave their roles as Ballet Masters with Grand Rapids Ballet in Michigan, USA, to join current RNZB Ballet Master Clytie Campbell at the beginning of January, completing the artistic team for 2018.

‘I worked with Nick and Laura for many years at Grand Rapids Ballet, and greatly respect them as artists and teachers’ says RNZB Artistic Director Patricia Barker. ‘They have been instrumental in restaging works for GRB during the past six years and I’m delighted that they will be joining the team at the Royal New Zealand Ballet.’

Nick and Laura are known for their ability to understand the needs of choreographers and have restaged works with other companies including the Czech National Ballet, Brno and Whim W’Him in Seattle.

‘We’re excited to begin a new chapter of our artistic lives in New Zealand’ say Nick and Laura. ‘We’ve heard wonderful things about the RNZB from both Patricia Barker and Loughlan Prior, who was in Grand Rapids recently, creating a new work on the company. We are counting the days until we land in Wellington. Working with Jiří and Otto Bubeníček on The Piano: the ballet will be a wonderful way to learn about our new country. ’

The role of the Ballet Master is to assist choreographers during the creative process and to maintain each ballet as it was originally created. They work with dancers daily to perfect their artistry, and work with the Artistic Director in creating a nurturing and creative environment, while assisting in the development of the company repertoire.