The Royal New Zealand Ballet

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Stories for Supporters

As a valued supporter, we have created this space for you. Here, you’ll find exclusive behind-the-scenes content, special insights from our dancers and creatives, and a glimpse into the magic that happens beyond the stage.

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Shaun James Kelly’s final bow with the RNZB

After twelve remarkable years with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Shaun James Kelly has taken his final bow as a company dancer. We sat down with Shaun to reflect on his career, favourite roles, creative journey, and what lies ahead.

Spotlight: Victoria Gridley, Milliner and Costume Props Specialist

Victoria Gridley has recently been appointed RNZB’s Milliner and Costume Props Specialist, having worked with the company for many years as a freelance artist across 13 productions. Victoria is currently creating the intricate headpieces for Birthday Offering, which will be performed as part of RNZB’s Winter Season in July. We spoke with Victoria about some of the memorable RNZB productions she has worked on, her dream project, and how she creates headpieces that can withstand the rigours of performance.

International Draft Works 2026

This week, the RNZB has sent a team of six to the northern hemisphere for the first time in over a decade! Sarah Foster-Sproull's Ultra Folly, which will also be shared with New Zealand audiences in our Winter Season in July, will be our offering to the Royal Ballet’s International Draft Works programme, performed from April 16-18 at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London. Read more about this exciting performance and hear some of the team’s insights in the article linked below.

Meet the Dancers 2026

We were delighted to welcome five new dancers to the RNZB in the beginning of 2026. Learn more about them, where they've come from and their aspirations for their careers.

Macbeth: Q&A with Creatives

This month the RNZB will present the world premiere of Macbeth choreographed by the internationally acclaimed Alice Topp. Award-winning designer Jon Buswell, a long-time RNZB collaborator, will create both set and lighting, while Sydney-based Aleisa Jelbart will bring a bold, contemporary aesthetic to the stage. Macbeth will also feature a new contemporary music score by Christopher Gordon that includes a live string ensemble from the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. We sat down with the creatives behind this new production of Macbeth to ask them a few questions.

Partner a Dancer: Standing Beside Our Artists

If you’ve ever read our dancers’ biographies on the RNZB website or in a programme at the theatre, you may have noticed a line beneath a lot of their names: “Partnered by…”. Behind that one line is a very real relationship, between an artist on stage and someone in the audience who has chosen to stand alongside them. Learn more about this special connection.

Q&A with scenic artist Tina Rae Carter

Tina is currently realising Tracy Grant Lord’s extraordinary designs for our eagerly awaited new production of The Nutcracker. We sat down with Tina to learn more about her varied career, her creative process, and the work she is undertaking for The Nutcracker.

The Nutcracker

With rehearsals beginning this week for our brand-new production of The Nutcracker, we delved into the archives to look back at past productions and the role this beloved ballet has played in RNZB’s history.

Spotlight: Education

In 2024, the Royal New Zealand Ballet connected with thousands of young people, students, teachers and community members through a rich and far-reaching education programme. From Northland to Invercargill, online and in person, RNZB Education worked to make the world of dance accessible, inclusive and inspiring.

Q&A with NZDC & RNZB

We caught up with three of the dancers involved in the creation of Moss Te Ururangi Patterson's Home, Land and Sea: RNZB Artist Luke Cooper, NZDC Artist ‘Isope ‘Akau'ola, and Stella Clarkson, a third-year student at the New Zealand School of Dance currently on secondment with NZDC. We asked them about their experience in the rehearsal room so far, what excites them most about the collaboration, and what Home, Land and Sea means to them.