Master Ballet classes with Matz Skoog

01 March 2010

Matz Skoog is an internationally recognised dancer, director and teacher. He is giving open classical ballet master classes for Raising the Barre, at Royal New Zealand Ballet’s world-class studios in the St. James Theatre.

Skoog was Artistic Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet from 1996–2001. Under his leadership the Company’s international reputation was greatly enhanced and its repertoire grew in diversity and quality.

Skoog left New Zealand to take the appointment of Artistic Director of English National Ballet, his former company where he had been Principal Dancer at a point in his long performing career. During his directorship, 2001–2005, Skoog was honoured with the 2003 Critic’s Circle Award for Most Imaginative Repertoire.

Following his wife Amanda’s appointment as General Manager of Royal New Zealand Ballet in 2006, Skoog returned to Wellington to teach at the Royal NZ Ballet and the New Zealand School of Dance.

Skoog has worked closely with some of the most remarkable and important people in the ballet world, including Rudolf Nureyev, Leonid Massine, Jiri Kylian, Glen Tetley, John Neumayer, and Mark Morris. Today he collaborates with the world’s foremost dance companies and schools, including The Royal Swedish Ballet, Netherlands Dance Theatre, Australian Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, National Ballet of Canada and the National Ballet School of Canada.

Raising the Barre welcomes both retired and aspiring professional dancers as well as the city’s top freelancers and professional dancers visiting Wellington, with advanced classes that fill the niche between the school and company class. Also teaching classical classes are Vivencio Samblaceno, former soloist, and Ann Gare, former principal, of Royal NZ Ballet. Among the contemporary teachers is Claire O’Neil, choreographer of MTYLAND for the NZ Festival of the Arts.

Classical classes are held Mondays and Thursdays at 6pm. Raising the Barre also offers contemporary classes Tuesdays 6pm and Fridays at 9.30am. All drop-in classes are $10.

Submitted by Raising the Barre on Mon, 01/03/2010 - 6:30pm.