Find out what’s happening in New Zealand dance news!
The New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) has announced that Director Garry Trinder MNZM will retire at the end of 2027, following three decades of contribution to the School and the wider dance community.
During his tenure, Trinder has supported generations of young dancers and played a key role in shaping New Zealand’s dance sector. Under his leadership, NZSD has strengthened its international reputation, expanded professional pathways for students, and fostered collaborations with leading choreographers in New Zealand and abroad. His legacy is reflected in both the School’s growth and the success of its alumni.
Looking back on his tenure, Trinder said, “It seems fitting to bow out at the School’s 60th anniversary. It has been an honour and a privilege to carry the responsibilities of this pivotal position for almost 30 years, but it is time to pass the baton to another visionary. I am grateful that we are here, thriving and striding forward.”
Chair of the NZSD Board of Trustees, Mary Slater, said, “Over the course of his extensive career, Garry has touched the lives of countless people as a leader, educator and mentor. All of us at the New Zealand School of Dance look forward to joining the broader dance community in celebrating his legacy in 2027.”
The NZSD Board will commence its search for a new Director in 2026, with further announcements to follow in due course.
NZSD will present the New Zealand School of Dance Chorographic Season from 26 June – 3 July, at Te Whaea: National Dance and Drama Centre. NOTE TO SELF is a full-length choreographed performance, created from original short works, devised by New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) 3rd-year contemporary dance students. Each work has been independently created, then thoughtfully woven together to form one shared performance experience.
Together, these works sit inside the tender and uneasy space of being seen. They ask what it means to be viewed, to be perceived, and how that gaze can shape, distort, reveal, or challenge our sense of self. The season explores the body not simply as something to look at, but as something that knows, remembers, senses, absorbs, and reveals. Running through the work is a deep humanness – vulnerability, discomfort, identity, observation and the quiet negotiation between who we are privately and who we become when witnessed. Tickets are available at www.nzschoolofdance.ac.nz/events/choreographic-season-2026.
Footnote New Zealand Dance is curating The Pōneke Festival of Contemporary Dance, celebrating contemporary dance in the capital. For one week this July, Footnote is bringing together the freshest artists from across Aotearoa and beyond to heat things up and push the boundaries. Expect performance seasons, artists in residence, free events, parties, debates, and good vibes. The Pōneke Festival of Contemporary Dance is here to ensure a vibrant future for Pōneke’s dance scene, fostering a passionate community around this captivating art form.
The festival is a joint initiative curated by Footnote New Zealand Dance and presented with The Hannah Playhouse, supported by Wellington City Council. The 2026 Festival will run 29 June – 5 July, at The Hannah Playhouse. For more information, visit https://www.footnote.org.nz/festival-of-contemporary-dance
The Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) will present its Winter Season, a triple bill of striking works spanning classical brilliance and contemporary energy, from 18 July – 1 August. The program will include the New Zealand premiere of Sir Frederick Ashton’s Birthday Offering, Sarah Foster-Sproull’s contemporary Ultra Folly, and Andrea Schermoly’s powerful tribute to the women of Aotearoa, Stand to Reason.
“These three works reflect in very different ways New Zealand’s history, and the evolution of dance in this country,” says RNZB Artistic Director Ty King-Wall. “Audiences will experience three uplifting works of immense power and stylistic diversity. They provide both a challenge and a testament to the strength, skill and stamina of our dancers. This is a celebration of the ways in which ballet can offer not only escapism, but also introspection. We are honoured to dedicate our 2026 Winter Season in honour of the late Matz Skoog, whom we miss greatly but whose legacy we deeply cherish.”
RNZB’s Winter Season will run in Wellington (16 – 18 July), Auckland (23 – 25 July), and Christchurch (31 July – 1 August). For more information and to book, head to rnzb.org.nz.
By Laura Di Orio of Dance Informa.
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