The Royal New Zealand Ballet will bring sparkle, laughter and a whole lot of heart to stages around New Zealand this April with the return of its much-loved children’s ballet Dazzlehands, touring to 12 centres from 4–19 April, 2026.
Based on the award-winning picture book by Wellington author Sacha Cotter and illustrator Josh Morgan, Dazzlehands is a joyful and imaginative ballet for tamariki and their whānau. Bursting with humour, music and playful choreography, the production follows the irresistible story of a pig who refuses to follow the rules – and discovers that being different might just be his greatest strength.
Choreographed by Royal New Zealand Ballet Principal dancer Joshua Guillemot-Rodgerson, the production transforms the beloved book into a vibrant live performance featuring six energetic dancers, lively narration, and a colourful cast of farmyard characters. Original music by composer William Phillipson and laugh-out-loud costumes by designer Victoria Gridley help bring the story’s quirky world to life on stage.
At the heart of the ballet is Pig, who lives on a perfectly ordinary farm where the animals all know their roles. The cow goes “moo,” the chicken goes “cluck,” and the farmer expects Pig to simply “oink.” But Pig has other ideas. Instead of making the expected sound, Pig dazzles everyone with a series of elaborate “hands” – from train hands to disco groove hands – much to the farmer’s growing frustration.
The stage adaptation expands the story’s playful world with a lively ensemble of animal characters, each of which that bring its own personality, dance style and musical flavour, from a hip-hop-loving cow and tango-dancing chicken to a grumpy sheep with big-band swagger.
Lauren Byrne, the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s Education and Community Engagement Manager and Creative Director of Dazzlehands, says the story was a natural fit for dance.
“As soon as I came across the book, I knew it was meant to be danced,” she says. “There’s so much movement in the language and illustrations that it immediately sparked ideas for choreography and character.
We collaborated closely with the author and illustrator throughout the process to stay true to the heart of the story,” she says. “Whenever we faced a creative decision, we would return to the book and the characters’ expressions and movements for inspiration.”
The production has been carefully designed with young audiences in mind. At just 40 minutes long, the show moves quickly and keeps children engaged with interactive moments that invite audiences to clap, cheer and even join in with the dancing. In some centres there will be performances with Te Reo narration and special relaxed and sensory friendly performances.
“We want children to know that ballet is for them,” says Lauren. “Creating work specifically for young audiences helps make the art form accessible, welcoming and fun from an early age.”
Joshua says the choreography reflects the playful spirit of the story while drawing on the many dance styles that shaped his own training.
“One of the joys of creating Dazzlehands was being able to blend ballet with other dance styles like jazz, tap, ballroom and contemporary,” he says. “Each character has their own movement language, which keeps the show exciting and surprising.”
He hopes the ballet will inspire children to embrace their individuality and discover a love of dance.
“The message of the story is that being different is something to celebrate,” he says. “I hope audiences leave laughing, smiling and feeling confident about whatever makes them unique.”
Alongside the performances, the Royal New Zealand Ballet will host a range of family-friendly activities to extend the experience. Free pre-show dance workshops will give children the chance to learn choreography from the show, while post-show meet-and-greets will allow audiences to meet the cast. Craft activities will also be available so young theatre-goers can create their own dazzlehands gloves and pig-ear headbands.
Fun, fabulous and full of sparkle, Dazzlehands promises a theatrical adventure that will delight audiences of all ages. Whether it’s your first ballet or your hundredth, this joyful celebration of courage, individuality and imagination is sure to leave the whole family tapping their toes.
Dazzlehands tours nationwide 4-19 April 2026:
Queenstown, Memorial Centre, 4-5 April
Whangarei, Forum North, 8 April
Oamaru, Opera House, 8 April
Takapuna, Bruce Mason Centre, 10-11 April
Christchurch, James Hay Theatre, 10-11 April
Tauranga, Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, 12 April
Ashburton, Ashburton Events Centre, 15 April
Rotorua, Sir Howard Morrison Centre, 15 April
Napier, Municipal Theatre, 17 April
Blenheim, ASB Theatre Marlborough, 18 April
Carterton, Wairarapa Events Centre, 18 April
Nelson, Theatre Royal, 19 April
Tickets on sale now here
Photos by Stephen A’Court