Find out what’s happening in New Zealand dance news!
For the past 25 years, Footnote New Zealand Dance has brought together dance practitioners from across the country and internationally to connect and develop their artistic practice. Footnote’s Choreolab is Aotearoa’s longest running professional development workshop series for contemporary dancers, and the only one of its kind in Aotearoa. The 25th anniversary of Choreolab will be held from 7 -15 January 2027 at Te Whaea, Wellington NZ. For more information and to apply, visit www.footnote.org.nz/news/choreolab2027.
The New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) will be performing at Tempo Dance Festival this October. The School is excited to see its third-year contemporary dance students take the stage alongside Ngā Akoranga Kani Kani | Dance Studies at Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland for Tendrils of Tomorrow. Featuring original works by Matte Roffe, Sarah Knox with Third Year dancers, Horn’s Out and Kerah McLean Duffy, this one-night-only showcase celebrates the bold and exciting future of contemporary dance in Aotearoa. The performance is Saturday 17 October at 6.30pm at Q Theatre, Rangatira. You can book tickets at www.tempodancefestival.co.nz/events-2026/tendrils-of-tomorrow.
The NZSD’s Performance Season returns from 18 – 28 November at Te Whaea: National Dance & Drama Centre. This year’s programme celebrates the School’s contribution to dance in Aotearoa and beyond, bringing together classical ballet and contemporary dance works. For more information, visit www.nzschoolofdance.ac.nz.
Registrations are now open for the NZSD Summer Intensive, running from 26 – 29 January 2027. Dancers can choose specialised classical ballet or contemporary dance training, with daily technique and repertoire classes. Taught by NZSD faculty and guest tutors, it’s a wonderful opportunity to experience the School’s training environment. To register and book, head to www.nzschoolofdance.ac.nz/courses/summer-intensive.
The Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) will present Greg Horsman’s acclaimed production of The Sleeping Beauty for a nationwide tour from 29 October – 20 December. Since its premiere in 2011, The Sleeping Beauty has become a favourite with audiences across Aotearoa, with more than 42,000 people experiencing its original nationwide tour.
“It is wonderful for the Royal New Zealand Ballet to return to The Sleeping Beauty to bring our 2026 season to a close,” says Artistic Director Ty King-Wall. “Created for our company, Greg Horsman’s production is an evocative and respectful staging of one of the great ballets of the 19th century. We look forward to a new generation of dancers taking on these coveted roles as this much-loved story awakens once more.”
Tickets for RNZB’s The Sleeping Beauty are now on sale at rnzb.org.nz/show/the-sleeping-beauty.
By Laura Di Orio of Dance Informa.
