Sir Jon Trimmer marks 60 years at the Royal New Zealand Ballet with Tutus on Tour which begins in Gore this week.

After the successful return of the RNZB’s Tutus on Tour in 2017, the Royal New Zealand Ballet is delighted to continue bringing the magic of ballet to all corners of New Zealand in 2018, through our much-loved regional touring programme.

Supported for the first time by Ryman Healthcare, seven regional centres will have the opportunity to see the dancers of the RNZB performing classical favourites and contemporary works, tailor-made for smaller venues, and suitable for all ages.

New Zealand ballet legend SirJon Trimmer stars in The Long and the Short of It, a role created for him by RNZB choreographer in residence Loughlan Prior. Artistic Director Patricia Barker stages the Pas de Dix, a classical showstopper from Marius Petipa’s Raymonda. The programme is completed with Meet the Swan from Mário Radačovský’s contemporary interpretation of Swan Lake, Black and White,  re-staged by RNZB Ballet Master Nicholas Schultz.

Tutus on Tour also gives local schools the chance to get up close to the RNZB with Ballet in a Box, a free programme presented by RNZB Education which has proved exceedingly popular and is already at capacity. Students will observe the dancers’ daily warm up, watch them perform brief works, and then explore their world via a Q&A session. In the evening, the dancers will present the complete Tutus on Tour programme in full costume.

With one show only at each venue and tickets starting at just $10 for children and $25 for adults, these special shows are guaranteed to sell fast.

RNZB Education connected with 25,000 New Zealanders of all ages in 36 centres in 2017. Schools around New Zealand, including those in centres visited by Tutus on Tour and Ballet in a Box, also have the opportunity to deepen their engagement with ballet through in-school workshops for students.

Performances:

GORE, ST JAMES THEATRE, THUR 15 MAR

TAURANGA, BAYCOURT THEATRE, WED 4 APR

OAMARU, OAMARU OPERA HOUSE, SUN 17 JUN

HAMILTON, CLARENCE STREET THEATRE, MON 9 JUL

TAUPO, GREAT LAKE CENTRE, WED11 JUL

WHANGANUI, ROYAL WANGANUI OPERA HOUSE, FRI 13 JUL

KERIKERI, THE TURNER CENTRE, WED 12 DEC