Royal New Zealand Ballet with Scottish Ballet

“…it was an exceptional experience to watch the second item on the program, Prismatic from RNZB Choreographer in Residence, Shaun James Kelly. Kelly played with movement without removing so many balletic essentials as seemed to happen in Schachmatt. Kelly’s choreography showed fluidity; detailed interaction between dancers without that interaction being frenzied; smooth and curving shapes from the arms; lifts that were quite spectacular and that demonstrated a remarkable manner of moving through space; and a great use of the stage area, often in unexpected ways.

We were watching a particular choreographic voice, but one that was not removing what makes dance balletic. Prismatic gave me goose bumps and it was a pleasure to watch the dancers performing to an audience, to us. That’s a personalised approach and was not something I got from the first item. To me Prismatic was theatre.”

Reviewed by Michelle Potter

A girdle of dance about the earth – Scottish Ballet meets Royal New Zealand Ballet in Wellington

“RNZB followed with Shaun James Kelly’s Prismatic, a contemporary tribute to the talisman work from our company’s first decade, Prismatic Variations, co-choreographed by Russell Kerr and Poul Gnatt, with fabulous set design (then and still) by Raymond Boyce. This choreographic treatment gives opportunities to the dancers to convey enthusiasm through every move, and none of those are wasted. They are clearly inspired, as were the original dancers, by the music ( Brahms — Variations on a Theme by Haydn). Every dancer is outstanding but Kihiro Kusukami is a particular comet. Kelly takes every chance to lift the dancers clear of gravity, which in turn takes us with them. It’s an infectious joy of architectural choreography.”

Reviewed by Jennifer Shennan

Royal New Zealand Ballet with Scottish Ballet

“This treasured gem is a backward glance at a pivotal work. Prismatic serves to emphasize the foundations on which the RNZB’s present achievements are built, while making obvious the artistic distance travelled; that is, the grand jete this Company has executed. The present choreographer, Shaun James Kelly, preserves the hallmarks of the Ballet Company of the 1960s, on the one hand. He highlights the emphasis on pure, fluid classical lines of the arms, flowing extensions, elegant arabesques, traditional geometrical formations, and includes ‘the daring artistic abstraction’ in vivid orange − Raymond Boyce’s arresting backcloth. Extending Prismatic into a longer work for 36 dancers which explores Brahms’ familiar Variations on a Theme by Haydn (opus 56), Kelly seeks to respect the past artistry of Paul Gnatt and Russell Kerr, while embodying recent visual images to revitalize the work.

The backward slides of the ballerina by her partner, the familiar fish dive, the expected ballon in the jumps, these are satisfying. Whirling the ballerina in a circle close to the floor like an ice figure skater, those movements intertwine with imaginative lifts, a wide spectrum of turns and alluring lighting to shift the mood. A surprising tableau of the male dancer running up a hill of dancers’ backs to pose triumphantly, is a breath-holding moment. While Prismatic retains the dated women’s skirted leotard, and although the ballerina’s response to the percussive drum crescendo is synchronized only some of the time, these minor details do not diminish the enthusiastic response to the final tableau; that is, line after line of elegant dancers running onto the stage for the final, impressive bow.”

Reviewed by Mona Williams

Royal New Zealand Ballet with Scottish Ballet: A Transcontinental Dance Celebration

“The second work, "Prismatic," came from RNZB's Scottish-born resident choreographer Shaun James Kelly. Set against a backdrop by renowned New Zealand designer Raymond Boyce from 1960, the dancers appeared in pale lycra illuminated by prismatic, multi-colored lighting. The choreography evoked William Forsyth with its complex footwork and angular upper-body movements set to Johannes Brahms. Beginning with a diagonal ensemble formation accompanied by exultant fanfare, the piece unfolded into energetic pas de deux. Moments of levity—including mechanical backwards bourrees en pointe and flat-footed landings from échappé—balanced the opening's grandeur. Dancer Kihiro Kusukami stood out for his effortless lightness, strength, and impeccable timing.”

Reviewed by Leila Lois

Edgy, creative fun from Scottish Ballet and Royal New Zealand Ballet

“The Royal New Zealand Ballet followed with expat Scot Shaun James Kelly’s Prismatic, inspired by Poul Gnatt and Russell Kerr’s Prismatic Variations. Here was a more classical turn, set to the music of Johannes Brahms. Kelly shows off traditional ballet technique and the numerous pas de deux are fetching (look out for Dane Head as one to watch), as are the sculptural poses that parts of the ballet finish on.”

Reviewed by Jack Yan

TWO - Tempo Dance Festival, Te Rerenga o Tere 2024

“My thoughts about partnering and gender-conventions in ballet are met when two male dancers in white, sparkling costumes enter stage for TWO, choreographed by Shaun Kelly. Exploring “the fleeting moments where two birds’ cross paths” this work engages a spacious and stripped back vocabulary in which gentle ‘birdlike’ mannerisms emerge out of soaring, sky-like arcs and turns of movement. I enjoy the simple beauty in this work; how the dancers locomote through space, draw-up into levity, and extend their limbs like unfurling wings. The clarity and fluidity of their movement is mesmerizing, and their partnering is fluid and reflective. A shift of lighting at the end of this work, in which the dancers perform almost moon-walking movements, before exiting stage, is quirky in such a gentle and understated way that it makes me smile. I appreciate where this piece sits in the programme – the way its spaciousness does not emote ‘at’ the audience but provides room for reflection and time to process with it. It makes me think of the ways we decompress and re-sync with reality when observing nature.”

Reviewed by Rose Tapsell

A joyful celebration - Tutus on Tour 2024

“Yet another contrast. Whereas Clay provides a sense of constant movement but with very little horizontal space covered, Prismatic is the opposite: joyful, lively, fast moving across and within the total stage area. The movement is enhanced and driven by the 19th Century composer Brahms at his most triumphal – an ode to joy in movement, so to speak. As a prism bends and changes light to reveal rainbow colours, so there is a quickness, exuberance and colour about this work. We, the audience, are treated to ever changing combinations of dancers: solos, duets, trios, quartets and more. The costumes are contemporary: pale tunics with flashes of colour for the women and unitards for the men: a sense of ease of movement, a neo-classical re-imagining of Brahm’s era in a contemporary setting.  A joyful celebration of the passing of the years and RNZB’s life, growth and, at times, dogged determination to keep dancing. As the programme notes remind us, this work was created to celebrate 70 years of the ballet company and was adapted for this tour.  Nga mihi RNZB!”

Reviewed by Debbie Bright

Royal New Zealand Ballet - Tutus on Tour 2024

“There are striking sequences and shapes throughout the choreography, with a final triumphant sculpture of the group of twelve dancers that suggests the crow’s nest or bowsprit of a ship sailing on the high seas. ”

Reviewed by Jennifer Shennan

Bringing live dance to smaller venues - Tutus on Tour 2024

“Prismatic, created by resident choreographer and dancer Shaun James Kelly for the RNZB’s seventieth anniversary gala in 2023, pays tribute to one of the company’s signature works from its early years, Prismatic Variations, choreographed by company founder Poul Gnatt and Russell Kerr. Set to the same score, Brahm’s Variations on a Theme by Haydn, and with costumes by Donna Jeffries that evoke those of the earlier ballet, this is a celebratory work that gives the entire troupe an opportunity to shine in a sequence of solos, duets and ensembles.”

Review by Dr Ian Lochhead

Platinum. Royal New Zealand Ballet

“The final work, for full company, was a premiere—Prismatic, choreographed by Shaun James Kelly, a tribute to the Company’s landmark work, Prismatic Variations, made by Russell Kerr and Poul Gnatt in 1959. There was an attractive energy, personality and enthusiasm from this cast, with a spirited final image of a dancer poised aloft high above all the group, suggesting airborne hope. It was in considerable contrast to the original choreography, five couples in a work of abstract, astringent and timeless classicism, echoing the geometric design of backcloth by Raymond Boyce.”

Reviewed by Jennifer Shennan