As United Ballet, the augmented company presented a ground-breaking season which prefigured the things to come.

[2] The 2000 programme included Dracula that was marketed with the slogan, ‘Go to the Bloody Ballet’[2] and Ihi FrENZy that had a first half by kapa haka champions Te Matarae I Orehu and a second half with dance to the music of New Zealand pop band Split Enz with costumes design by Tracy Grant Lord.

[5] In 2021 the Royal New Zealand Ballet received extra government funding with a payout of $1.157m after a budget freeze since 2016 and given in part because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Former members Dawn Sanders, Gray Veredon, Patricia Rianne, Nick Carroll and Anne Rowse are critical of processes and some suggesting a quota of New Zealand dancers.

[8][9] Choreographers in residence listed in 2021 are Loughlan Prior, Shaun James Kelly, Corey Baker and Sarah Foster-Sproull.

[10] In 2021 the programme includes Stravinsky’s The Firebird choreographed by Loughlan Prior with Tracy Grant Lord designing.