Robbins' Masterpiece to receive NZ premiere

18 October, 2005

Jerome Robbins' masterpiece to receive New Zealand premiere

The New Zealand School of Dance has achieved an international coup by acquiring permission to perform 2 & 3 Part Inventions, a work created by the celebrated American choreographer and director, Jerome Robbins.

2 & 3 Part Inventions, set to Bach's piano studies of the same name, was originally choreographed in 1994 as a showpiece for students at the School of American Ballet and entered the repertoire of New York City Ballet the following year. A poem to the purity of classical ballet, this virtuosic, abstract work will be seen outside New York for the first time when performed in Wellington by students from the New Zealand School of Dance, as part of their Graduation Season from November 16 - 26.

Elyse Borne, former ballet mistress for San Francisco Ballet and dancer with New York City Ballet, recently spent two weeks in Wellington teaching the work to advanced students from the School.

Speaking of the acquisition Garry Trinder, director of the New Zealand School of Dance, had this to say: "We feel particularly honoured to be allowed to dance this glorious ballet. In granting us the performing rights, the Robbins Rights Trust has made it possible for the students to experience first-hand the brilliance of a visionary dance maker, one who so uniquely shaped the world of dance."

Ms Borne, who represents both the George Balanchine Trust and the Robbins Rights Trust, has also staged Balanchine's Valse-Fantaisie for inclusion as part of the same programme.

Ms Borne's visit to New Zealand is funded in part by a grant from the Embassy of the United States of America.

ENDS

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