Secret Lives

Secret Lives ad (via here)

Another musing from my week... The Secret Lives of Dancers! I giddily awaited the arrival of the season premier of the show that follows the dancers of the Royal New Zealand Ballet. The show's ad campaign was stunning, and prompted me to watch the previous season on TV3's website. I felt like a little girl in awe of the beautiful ballerinas. Just a few days ago in an email to my grandmother, I commented on the exceptional creativity and quality of the work in the arts industry in New Zealand and the show is truly a testament to that. Its incredibly well made, a very unique concept and artistically interpreted.

 

Ethan Steifel, RNZB Artistic Director (via here)

The season premier focused on the RNZB's change in artistic director, the new director being the famed American dancer Ethan Steifel! If the name doesn't sound familiar, perhaps you remember Cooper from the Center Stage Movies? Ethan is considered one of the greatest male dancers of all time and I think its fantastic that he has assumed creative control on the Royal New Zealand Ballet. It makes me look forward to going to the RNZB performance "NYC" at Auckland's Epic theatre even more than I already was!

All of the past episodes can be streamed online in New Zealand. I'm not sure that they can be viewed in the States, but its worth checking out this website, even if just for the well designed promotions. It should also be noted that the show is an AFTA award winner for best observational reality series.

(via here)

NYC promotion (via here)

As you can see I'm a bit enamored. I just can't get enough of the unbelievably graceful yet athletic movement of the profession dancers that just seems so effortless. I really have quite an appreciation for dance as an art form in itself, but combined with a behind the scenes television show!? Brilliant : )

I also watched some rugby sevens on Saturday. The NZ rugby sevens tournament took place in Wellington over the weekend. Its played with seven (obviously) guys on each team, and they play two ten minute halfs. Its extremely intense and such a fast paced game. The players are such athletes and all so fast! The tournament inspired me to have the "rugby is so much better than football" conversation (several times with several different people ; )...). New Zealand won the tournament by the way!

Whats something that you enjoying watching? Why do you like it?

Lots of love,
A