RNZB to award emerging choreographer soon

The Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) is continuing its legacy of supporting emerging choreographers. This week a special artist will receive the 2017 Harry Haythorne Choreographic Award. Finalists include RNZB dancers Jo Funaki, Laura Saxon Jones, Shaun James Kelly, Sarah Knox and Loughlan Prior.

The choreographers will each present a short work at RNZB this Thursday—Saturday, October 19-21. Performances are open to the public but tickets are limited. RNZB Studios are located at St. James Theatre in Wellington.

Established in 2015 in memory of the RNZB’s longest serving Artistic Director, Harry Haythorne MBE (1926-2014), the Award is presented by the RNZB and sponsored by The Ballet Foundation of New Zealand through the generous contributions received from Harry himself and his many friends and professional colleagues.

Which choreographer will win the 2017 Harry Haythorne Choreographic Award? Stay tuned at www.rnzb.org.nz.

RNZB has previously supported many other choreographers from within its ranks, with works by Cameron Macmillan, Andrew Simmons, Brendan Bradshaw and Catherine Eddy, and Loughlan Prior coming to the fore in recent years.

Photo courtesy of RNZB.