Dazzlehands - NZ Sign Language with English Narration

This is a Free Children's Ballet presented by Royal New Zealand Ballet

Dazzling New Zealand children’s book to become a sparkling new rnzb production for kids of all ages New Zealand Sign Language interpreted performances feature a trained interpreter who appears on stage signing alongside the narrator for Deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons in the audience. Bringing a new kind of razzle-dazzle to the ballet world is a collaboration between award-winning New Zealand publishers Huia, 2024 Oceania winner of the Bologna Prize for the Best Children's Publisher of the Year, and the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB). Celebrated children’s book writers Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan’s magnificent Dazzlehands, published in 2023 in English and te reo Māori, is being adapted into a new ballet which will premiere as part of the RNZB’s free school holiday performances at Te Papa this July. The Cow says “moo”, the Chicken says “cluck” and the Pig says… “Dazzlehands!” As hard as the farmer tries, Pig won’t go “oink”. Instead, Pig gets all the animals moving to phrases like, “Cross hands, floss hands, work it like a boss hands. Bursting with the razzle, gotta liberate these dazzlehands.” Choreographed by RNZB Principal Joshua Guillemot-Rodgerson for six RNZB dancers, Dazzlehands’ creative team includes Costume Designer Victoria Gridley (Tāne and the Kiwi), Composer William Philipson (Shortland Street, One Lane Bridge, High Tide Don’t Hide), and Creative Director Lauren Byrne, who is also the RNZB’s Education and Community Engagement Manager. Gareth Tiopara-Waaka will narrate both the English and te reo Māori shows, and there will be a Relaxed Performance and a performance with New Zealand Sign Language interpretation. Dazzlehands will be 40 minutes long and is appropriate for ages three and over. The Spinoff described the book as “…a bold, funny, cool farmyard flip that is a riot to read aloud.” On turning this ingenious tale into a ballet, Guillemot-Rodgerson says, “I am thrilled to be turning Dazzlehands into a moving and grooving ballet bash. The story dances off the pages; it feels like the authors were choreographing a dance from the very beginning. I am so lucky to be able to work with this exceptionally talented creative team, and our amazing dancers, to bring tamariki on a journey into how fun ballet can be. The story of our Pig will take them on a rollercoaster ride of hilarity, movement and thrills. They will need to prepare to be DAZZLED in the best possible way.”