Ihi FrENZy, Royal New Zealand Ballet

By BERNADETTE RAE

AOTEA CENTRE - It is brave. It is certainly a very different dance programme. And its ethnicity is in no doubt.

Both the kapa haka first half - the Ihi part of the title - and the classical ballet that torque and spring through a retrospective Frenzy of Split Enz songs, could belong only to us.

The huge McCahonesque backdrop, using the famous visual mantra "I AM", says it all. No one could possibly doubt the spirit of the event, and its uniqueness.

But in some respects Te Matarae I Orehu, the country's kapa haka champions, and the Royal New Zealand Ballet make odd dancing partners.

The power of Te Matarae's traditional chants and haka seemed unsuitably chocolate-boxed by the formal stage.

John Rayment's sunset-hued backlighting was unpleasantly reminiscent of one of those nasty black velvet tourist paintings.

The more contemporary parts of Te Matarae's performance seemed thin and reedy in comparison to their full-throated battle cries and the beautiful and compelling rhythms of the poi dances and percussive stick games.

The weak little narrative of love and loss seemed an unnecessary and strictly corny imposition. The energy deployed in this sideline could instead have produced some decent programme notes on the traditional work presented.

Expat choreographer Mark Baldwin has done a tremendous job with the creation of a Split Enz ballet suite.

The classical technique is there in force, but with many new twists and quirks, and the company meets the challenge superbly.

Graham Fletcher and Larissa Wright, partners off stage, prove their strength and synergy as a performing duo.

Jian Guo, new to the company this year, struts his style and partners the exquisite Jane Turner.

Cameron McMillan and Pieter Symonds turn everybody's head - they are both quite dazzling.

And the beautiful solo I Hope I Never was gorgeously performed on Wednesday night by Geordan Wilcox.

Tracy Grant's beautiful costumes, the aforementioned backdrop and Rayment's very subtle lighting in this second work completely capture the majesty and moods of the New Zealand landscape: very artful and articulate.

And all for the music of a couple of Te Awamutu boys ... perfect or peculiar - it's the way we like to do things, here!