Steel Ballerina

Steel Ballerina

At age 41 the ballet world expected Prima Ballerina Margot Fonteyn to retire. However, an unexpected encounter with the young Rudolf Nureyev rejuvenated her and she went on to dance professionally for another 19 years. Their resulting partnership became one of the most talked about and magical relationships in the world of dance. Inspired by these events, Steel Ballerina explores the idea of a creative expiry date; the private versus public face of a dancer; and the tenacity needed to sustain such a long career.

Actor Mel Dodge (MA in Acting ArtsEd, London; winner of Chapman Tripp Actress of the Year award), dancer Pagan Dorgan (best dance show Wellington FRINGE) and director Jacqueline Coats (MTA (Directing), VUW/Toi Whakaari; winner of Chapman Tripp Award for Most Original Production) collaborate to create a beautiful and moving exploration of a woman’s journey through an extraordinary life and career. Through the mediums of contemporary dance, movement and language we enquire into what made Fonteyn so enigmatic and magical.

As female artists in our 30s and 40s, we are attracted to the idea of expiry dates in the arts. We are curious about the strength of vision, inspiration and creative self worth which pushed this dancer past her physical prime, through physical, emotional and social discomfort, into a long and remarkable career. What steel inside her propelled her past those obstacles?

Steel Ballerina opens in Wellington with a five-day season as part of the dance your socks off Festival (Bats Theatre), followed by a tour to Auckland for the Tempo Dance Festival and a one-off performance at Hawkins Theatre, and finishing at The Body Festival in Christchurch.

Steel Ballerina is BRAVE’s fifth play and first venture into the world of dance. BRAVE has enjoyed successes both in New Zealand and internationally, notably a sold-out season of their play Anything to Declare? at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2006.

STEEL BALLERINA

DANCE YOUR SOCKS OFF FESTIVAL
BATS
15th-19th Sept 6.30pm
book@bats.co.nz
ph: (04) 802 4175
TEMPO DANCE FESTIVAL
TAPAC
4th Oct - 4pm & 8pm
5th Oct - 6pm
tickets@tempo.co.nz
ph: (09) 845 0295
HAWKINS THEATRE, PAPAKURA
6th Oct
7.30pm
www.iticket.co.nz ph: (09) 361 1000

THE BODY FESTIVAL
NASDA THEATRE
8th-11th Oct
7.00pm
www.thebody.co.nz ph: (03) 963 0870

ENDS

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