Cinderella

My love of dance stems from learning ballet for six years during my childhood. More recently, we enjoyed watching the first two tv series of The Secret Lives of Dancers, which followed members of the Royal New Zealand Ballet while they rehearsed to go on tour. We got to know some of the dancers, celebrated their success and felt the pain of their injuries. A highlight of the 2011 World of Wearable Art Awards was the spectacular avant garde segment featuring the Royal New Zealand Ballet and accompanied by opera singers.

The cast of Cinderella

Last night, we saw the Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Cinderella at the St James Theatre in Wellington. It was a real treat to see some familiar faces on stage, including the adorable Lucy Green as Cinderella and Abigail Boyle as the fairy godmother – two of our favourites from the tv show. The two stepsisters and stepmother (who were far from ugly) provided many moments of humour. Danseurs of note included a dashing prince, an exceptional grasshopper and a rare treat in the form of an appearance by ballet great Sir Jon Trimmer.

Cinderella is a delightful performance for ballet buffs and casual fans alike. The show is on for a couple more nights in Wellington before moving on to Invercargill, so there are still some chances to catch it around the country.