NZ School of Dance scores a hat-trick

New Zealand School of Dance scores a hat-trick

The New Zealand School of Dance has produced another award-winning dancer, with second year student Christopher Rickert taking out the Supreme Award at the Alana Haines Australasian Awards on Easter Sunday.

Nineteen year old Chris was competing against 64 other competitors from throughout New Zealand and Australia and received $4,000 in prize money.

Chris will use this money to compete at the New York International Ballet Competition in June which culminates in a series of performances at the prestigious Lincoln Center home to the New York City Ballet.

Eleven dancers received cash prizes including two other students from the New Zealand School of Dance.

The prestigious Alana Haines Awards attracts dancers aged between 13 and 21, and was set up by two former New Zealand Ballet Company members in memory of their daughter. Judges for the event included Gary Harris, Artistic Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet and Michela Kirkcaldie, Senior Classical Tutor at the Australian Ballet School.

Over the past twelve months the New Zealand School of Dance has secured top honours at three major dance events, The New Zealand National Ballet Award (Christchurch) won by Marysa Dalton, the Sir John Logan Campbell Ballet Trust Award (Auckland) won by Craig Davidson and now Christopher Rickert's success at the Alana Haines Australasian Awards.

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