Review - GRADUATION SEASON 2021 - New Zealand School of Dance

“The final work of the evening, Shaun James Kelly’s Nexus set to excerpts of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, is both lively and technical. Featuring Kelly’s signature glides and demanding partnering, the eight classical stream dancers find plenty to challenge them…...”

Reviewed by Brigitte Knight

Review - New Zealand Of Dance Graduation Season 2021

Theatre Review

“The final piece Nexus by Shaun James Kelly is an intricate neo classical work, highlighting the techniques and skill of the dancers, their musicality and performance.
It is an excellent finale to a well-constructed programme and to quote an audience member” Well, that was well worth it”, the programme, the performance and the live experience are all worth it. Go see it.”

Reviewed by Deb Pope, 15 Nov 2021

TUTUS ON TOUR 2022 - ROYAL NEW ZEALAND BALLET

TUTUS ON TOUR 2022

Dancers from Royal New Zealand Ballet in “ The Ground Beneath Our Feet” in 2019, Wellington Opera House

“Tutus on Tour brings a ray of summer sunshine to stages from Auckland’s North Shore to Invercargill.

Artistic Director Patricia Barker has curated a gala programme which showcases the dancers of your national ballet company at their best, from beloved classical favourites to recent works that have claimed a rightful place on the international stage.

Rounding out this generous programme of dance is RNZB Choreographer in Residence Shaun James Kelly’s The Ground Beneath Our Feet (2019), an exuberant ballet, tailor-made for the RNZB, that rides the scintillating rhythms of its music like a rollercoaster.”

Dancer from Royal New Zealand Ballet in “ The Ground Beneath Our Feet” in 2019, Wellington Opera House

WELLINGTON, 07 OCTOBER - 08 OCTOBER

PALMERSTON NORTH, 12 OCTOBER

NAPIER, 15 OCTOBER

ROTORUA, 18 OCTOBER 

TAURANGA, 20 OCTOBER - 21 OCTOBER

MANUKAU, 26 OCTOBER

TAKAPUNA, 28 OCTOBER - 29 OCTOBER

NEW PLYMOUTH, 01 NOVEMBER

CHRISTCHURCH, 05 NOVEMBER

DUNEDIN, 09 NOVEMBER

INVERCARGILL, 12 NOVEMBER

BOOK NOW

Dancer from Royal New Zealand Ballet in “ The Ground Beneath Our Feet” in 2019, Wellington Opera House

Dance Informa Magazine

New Zealand Dance News – November/December 2021

“Of the three new classical pieces, two are commissioned from highly sought-after choreographers, Loughlan Prior and Shaun James Kelly (both Choreographer-in-Residence with the Royal New Zealand Ballet).”

ROYAL NEW ZEALAND BALLET 2022 SEASON

STARS, SWANS AND CINDERELLA – ROYAL NEW ZEALAND BALLET POISED FOR A SWEEPING 2022 SEASON

Dancers from Royal New Zealand Ballet in “ The Ground Beneath Our Feet” in 2019, Wellington Opera House.

“Rounding out this generous programme of dance is RNZB Choreographer Shaun James Kelly’s The Ground Beneath Our Feet (2019), an exuberant ballet, tailor-made for the RNZB, that rides the scintillating rhythms of its music like a rollercoaster.”

Timely production for multiple reasons - The Soldiers Tale 2021 NZSO

‘Shaun James Kelly’s choreography responds to the angularity of the music and fully exploits the limited opportunities that the work offers for dance, although the presence of musicians on stage constrains the possibility for more expansive movement.  Leonora Voigtlander as the Princess projects both the innocence as well as the insistence the role requires as she persuades the Soldier to seek out his mother, only to disappear for good.’

Review by Dr Ian Lochhead

Kāpiti and Coast Independent The Soldier’s Tale — ‘Sublime’ Says Ralph McAllister

“Add to that the contribution from the Royal New Zealand Ballet whose young dancers leave you breathless as they perform sublimely on a sixpence, or is it a farthing of a space . Choreographer in Residence Shaun James Kelly deserves a medal of his own for his faith and demands on his dancers Leonora Voigtlander and Jamie Delmonte.”

Review by Ralph McAllister, 25 Feb 2021

Love and greed at heart of tale - The Solider’s Tale

‘Working with RNZB choreographer in residence Shaun James Kelly has been a great meeting of minds, she says.

"I’m not as specialised as he is with classical ballet, but we see things the same way. We often open our mouths to say the same thing at the same time on the rehearsal floor."

Kelly says he has taken inspiration from the music

"I like an audience to feel the music and movement moving together and I had such fun pairing my choreographic style with this wonderful Stravinsky score, played so powerfully by the NZSO."

Brodie says with all the different skill sets involved, each contributes and learns a bit of the others’ language.’

Rebecca Fox, 25 Feb 2021

Symphony Orchestra and Royal Ballet join forces in ode to Stravinsky

‘When Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale first opened in 1918, its tour was cut short by the outbreak of influenza. 

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the Royal New Zealand Ballet will have their fingers crossed for a different outcome this year, as they present this classic tale of magic, desire, and being careful what you wish for.

Conducted by Hamish McKeich, directed by Sara Brodie, and choreographed by Shaun James Kelly, Setting Up Camp – The Soldier’s Tale opens in Kāpiti this week.

Based on a Russian folk tale, this pocket-sized theatre piece tells the story of the titular soldier who makes a deal with the Devil: in exchange for the soldier’s magic violin, the Devil will grant his every wish.’

Kate Green, 23 Feb 2021

NZSO and RNZB start tour of The Soldier's Tale in Kāpiti

"To now have the staging as well, with top director Sara Brodie, and Shaun James Kelly from the RNZB, is a dream come true."

RNZB choreographer in residence Shaun James Kelly said, "As a choreographer, I take huge inspiration from the music. I like an audience to feel the music and movement moving together and I had such fun pairing my choreographic style with this wonderful Stravinsky score, played so powerfully by the NZSO.

"With many varieties of musical influences — such as tango, waltz and ragtime — it gave me a great opportunity to tell this story of the new lovers, ultimately creating a light-hearted and contemporary spin on classical ballet."

Kapiti News, 4 Feb 2021