A Graduation programme provides a showcase for graduating students and , in this case, other students from other years. A mix of works using classical and contemporary techniques formed the evening and the competency of the young dancers was outstanding. There is no shortage of talent !          

Contemporary works that were highly physical, abstracted and had strong contextual relevance to the highly unsettled world we live in contrasted strongly with the saccharine sweet escapism of classical ballet and its much more measured and controlled vocabulary.

Meistens Mozart, choreography by Heigi Tomasson  (1991) set the stage with a series of light hearted responses to seven ‘mostly Mozart’ folk-genre songs. George Laing was captivating as he flew across the stage in his intricate solo. The work itself seemed outdated and I am a little bewildered as to the rational for it being chosen?                                 

He Taonga – A Gift  was a powerful and very dramatic work I have seen a few times. Choreographed in 2009 by Taane Mete and Taiaroa Royale this spoke to us as a people and resonated strongly. The ensemble work by a large cast of exciting male dancers and outstanding solo work by Tristan  Carter were soul-stirring. Be strong – Be warriors – Be full of heart. Every muscle and bone was committed to this and they took the audience with them.                        

The Pas de Deux from Sleeping Beauty Act 3 was confidently danced by Laura Crawford and Yuri Marquez. One of those touchstone pieces of classical repertoire it is essential that this is learned by students but the magical quality and virtuoso ease to communicate Aurora and her Prince needed less tension and more chemistry between them.             

Glitch, a short solo collaboration by Connor Masseurs and Victoria Columbus danced by Connor Masseurs was interesting and used extensive gestural vocabulary and a street style but seemed out of place and rather lost in this setting?  

Extract from Political Mother – by Hofesh Shechter – The full work (2010) was seen here in the International Arts Festival a few years ago. This brought protest, emancipation, unification, desperation and an unsettlingly pertinent reminder of our own survival and susceptibility onto the stage. Set to wonderful visceral music by Shechter himself the extract was, in fact, excerpts that for me,  somehow left something lacking? Maybe a full section/extract would have more impact? The dancers gave it their all and it was interesting to revisit this earthed and primal powerhouse.

Tempo Di Valse set to the Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker ended the quite long and rather compartmentalised programme. We were returned to voyeurism and the impossibility of a world of tulle and satin roses as the tutus every dancer loves to love swirled to one of the most famous of Tchaikovsky ‘s scores. Emma-Rose Barrowclough and her two consorts, Luke Cooper and Benedict Crossley-Pritchard, were effortless and elegant in this.

The two stand-out works in the evening, for me – one contemporary –  one classical, were Incant by Amber Haines and Dance Gallantries by Jiri Bubenicek. Incant was made for and danced by a strong ensemble of women and had real invention , relevance and a mesmerising ownership by each dancer psychologically and physically.they were feisty individuals but on this planet together and the binds were strong.  As I write images still hold clear in my mind. Dance Gallantries set to Bach Sonatas and Partitas was a premiere work made on these students using a neo classical sense of style and drawing on classical vocabulary but feeling from another era. These dancers of today were totally in the music and the work. The perennial ballet fascination with coy, naive, unfulfilled, sexual attraction was taken over by a cast of young dancers absolutely in their technique and loving it. Particularly of note were the trio ( George Liang, Jessica Fan and Jeremie Gan ) and the joyous solo work by Mali Comiekci.

Musicality is inherently a part of all dance both emanating from within the body and responding to a score. There were times were maybe nerves got the better of these young dancers? Listen to dance with and in the pulse and know why you are doing the moves.

Congratulations to the New Zealand School of Dance, sponsors, teachers and rehearsal directors of this wide-ranging collection of old and new works and of these wonderful young artists. It is sobering to see so many dancers and to reflect that we have institutions training so much talent and such a limited world of opportunity and employment to go into. This is a global issue but starts at home right here! Best wishes to those who are graduating. Life will be challenging but you are ready. 

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