Ty King-Wall and Royal NZ Ballet

 

Ty King-Wall, the new Artistic Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, has drawn up an exciting program for 2025. King-Wall, who was for two decades away from his NZ homeland, dancing with the Australian Ballet, has made the year's theme "all about home". Nonetheless the program includes quite a few collaborations with those from other locales.

The year begins with the RNZB's annual road trip around the country with Tutus On Tour, after which it will welcome a visit by the Scottish Ballet – which will be a long way from home – the furthest it has ever travelled. In an exclusive Wellington season it will present two of its own works – Dextera (2019) by Sophie Laplane, originally commissioned to mark the SB's 50th anniversary, and Schachmatt! (Checkmate!) by internationally acclaimed choreographer Cayetano Soto. Sharing the bill, RNZB will present its own Limerence, by RNZB alumna Annaliese Mcdonald, and Shaun James Kelly's Prismatic. (March 14 –15.)

Touring NZ's main stages will be a double bill of The Firebird, a version by Loughlin Prior, and My Brilliant Career, by Cathy Marston, which received its premiere by the Queensland Ballet in 2023. (April 30 – June 1)

Next is Home, Land and Sea, a triple bill which takes its name from Moss Te Ururangi Patterson's new work, in a first-time collaboration with the New Zealand Dance Company. On the same program is a new work by Shaun James Kelly, Chrysalis, and The Way Alone by Australia's Steven Baynes. (July 24 – August 9.)

Ty King-Wall will don on his own choreographer's mantle with his new production of The Nutcracker for the company's summer season. He promises to give it a uniquely Kiwi touch, with holidays at the beach for Act 1, and a trip to NZ's southern alps in Act 2. His collaborative partners will be Tracey Grant Lord for set and costumes, Jon Buswell for lighting and Wellington's POW studios for visual effects. (October 20 – December 30.)

The company has welcomed two new graduates of the Australian Ballet School, Emma Gavan and Jordan Sawtell, as Artists. It has also welcomed four graduates of the New Zealand School of Dance as Scholars for 2025: Todd Scholar Olivia Platt, RNZB Foundation Scholar Hilary An-Roddie and Friedlander Foundation Scholars Angus O'Connell and Joshua Douglas, the latter returning to NZ after a year as a Jette Parker Young Artist at the Qld Ballet.

For more about the season, visit the website.