by Catja Christensen | Aug 8, 2022 | News, Onstage, The Latest
This month, ballet companies debut classical reinterpretations, attend annual festivals around the world and take performances to new venues. Read on to learn about the premieres and international stars performing near you. Vail Dance Festival Highlights The annual...
by Steve Sucato | Oct 22, 2019 | News, Profiles
It’s been several years since former Pacific Northwest Ballet star Patricia Barker took over leadership of the Royal New Zealand Ballet. In that time Barker and her husband, former PNB dancer Michael Auer, have had to acclimate themselves to a new country, a new...
by Laura Cappelle | Aug 4, 2019 | Career, Instagram, Profiles
Though the Royal New Zealand Ballet has seen a lot of upheaval in recent years, it’s now attracting dancers from the U.S. again. Six American women are currently working for the Wellington-based company: Two of them, soloist Katherine Minor and dancer Leonora...
by Amy Brandt | Apr 17, 2018 | News
“When you turn up at someone’s door saying, ‘I would like to make the first dance in Antarctica,’ they often call you crazy.” So says Kiwi choreographer and former ballet dancer Corey Baker. Luckily, his persistence paid off. On Sunday,...
by Steve Sucato For Dance Magazine | Jan 1, 2018 | Career, News
The past few months have brought on a media storm surrounding accusations about the culture and employment practices at the Royal New Zealand Ballet. But it turns out, much of the reported information doesn’t tell the whole story. Caught up in the rumors has...
by Julia Guiheen | Dec 6, 2017 | Everything "Nutcracker", Profiles, TBT
December is here and the holiday season—better known to ballet dancers as Nutcracker season—is in full swing. To celebrate, we’re throwing it back to Patricia Barker and Wade Walthall as Clara and the prince in Pacific Northwest Ballet’s 1986 Nutcracker:...
by Steve Sucato | Nov 5, 2017 | Career, Profiles
Former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal Patricia Barker has taken over as artistic director of Royal New Zealand Ballet. Barker, 54, was named to her new role in June, becoming only the second woman director in RNZB’s 64-year history and the second...
by Madeline Schrock | Jun 6, 2017 | Career, Profiles
In the latest round of “artistic director musical chairs,” Royal New Zealand Ballet has announced major news: Patricia Barker has been named the company’s new artistic director. Later this month, she’ll replace Francesco Ventriglia. The...