New Zealand Ballet

On 30 June 1953 the New Zealand Ballet (sometimes referred to as New Zealand Ballet Company) took its first steps onstage, fuelled by the vision and passion of founder Poul Gnatt.

At first based in Auckland, the company toured the country, including many small towns.

In the 1960s the government funded the New Zealand Ballet to pay its dancers, but the company was still financially insecure.

The National School of Ballet opened in Wellington in 1967, to make sure there were trained dancers for the New Zealand Ballet. 

The New Zealand Ballet became the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) in 1984. 

Some of their performances have been filmed for broadcast on television over the years, including...