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