RNZB’s Loughlan Prior coming to VDF!

Loughlan Prior, Choreographer in Residence of Royal NZ Ballet is coming to Energetiks VDF for the first time!⁠ ⁠His ballet classes are not to be missed.

Described as ‘a creative tour de force’, Loughlan Prior is an award-winning choreographer and creative director working between stage and screen. He is the co-artistic director of Lo | Co Arts and Choreographer in Residence at the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

Following his training at the Victorian College of the Arts and NZ School of Dance, Loughlan joined the Royal NZ Ballet in 2010 and rose to the rank of Soloist, performing works by Forsythe, Balanchine, Kylián, Cranko and Ekman.

Established as an emerging voice in 2015 he became the first recipient of the Ballet Foundation of NZ’s Harry Haythorne Choreographic Award. In 2016 he received Creative NZ’s Tup Lang Award, travelling to Toronto to stage his work at the Assemblée Internationale.

Prior’s cinematic and unifying approach to music, choreography, concept and visual storytelling is a key feature of his work. Notable productions include Hansel & Gretel (RNZB), The Appearance of Colour (QLD Ballet), Transfigured Night (Chamber MusicNZ, BalletCollective Aotearoa), The Firebird (RNZB), Cinderella (RNZB), Half | Life (Lo | Co Arts) The Sound was our Ocean (Singapore Ballet) and Inklings (Ballet Unleashed – Australian Ballet School, NZ School of Dance, National Ballet School Canada, The Ailey School).

Under the umbrella of Prior Visual, Loughlan has produced a number of dance/art films which have been screened at San Francisco Dance Film Festival, NZ International Film Festival, Film Society of Lincoln Center, BalletX Beyond, #60secondsdance Denmark and Short Film Corner of the Cannes Film Festival.

​Loughlan will also join the line-up of Teacher Day guest speakers. This is Australia’s premier Dance Teacher and Studio event, and is returning in 2023 thanks to major sponsors Show Works and DanceSurance. Teacher Day takes place 14 April in the Victoria Pavilion at Melbourne Showgrounds.

VDF is brought to you by the team behind Dance Informa magazine. Founded in 2006, Dance Informa has served the Australian and American dance industries for over 16 years. 

VDF brings the pages of Dance Informa to life, bringing the who’s who of dance together in Melbourne for a huge celebration of why we love dance. Dance breaks barriers, dance speaks all languages, dance comes from the heart, dance is our life.

Come Dance With Us April 15-16 in the Exhibition Pavilion at Melbourne Showgrounds! Click here for all the details and Early Bird discounted tickets.

Photo: Loughlan Prior. Photo by Garth Badger