There should be much rejoicing in New Zealand dance circles today with the announcement that Ty King-Wall is to be Royal New Zealand Ballet’s next artistic director. It’s a homecoming for King-Wall, who made his dance career with The Australian Ballet but was born in New Zealand and started his dance studies there. 

His appointment comes eight months after former RNZB artistic director Patricia Barker announced she would retire after five and a half years in the role. She left New Zealand shortly after to return to the United States and the RNZB board asked former TAB artistic director David McAllister to step into the breach until a new AD was found.

King-Wall takes up his appointment in November. 

King-Wall joined TAB in 2006 after finishing his training at The Australian Ballet School, from which he graduated with honours as dux. He became a principal artist in 2013 and retired from dancing in 2022. 

He has a Bachelor of Arts (Classical Studies/Psychology) from New Zealand institution Massey University and a Master of Arts and Cultural Management from the University of Melbourne. King-Wall is currently the dancers’ director on the TAB Board and teaches at The Australian Ballet School.

He is married to principal artist Amber Scott, who will retire from the stage at the end of the Melbourne season of Swan Lake  after 22 years with TAB. Scott and Wall-King have two small daughters. 

King-Wall has not previously run a company but has an encouraging example in McAllister. McAllister took over the artistic reins at TAB immediately after retiring from dance and remained in the AD role for 20 years. With King-Wall having spent almost his entire dancing career under McAllister’s direction, he will undoubtedly be able to draw on McAllister’s experience. 

RNZB chief executive Tobias Perkins, who took up his role only in July this year, was quoted in New Zealand media today as saying he hoped King-Wall’s appointment heralded a “sustained period of artistic excellence” for the company.

The key word is “sustained”.

RNZB had three artistic directors in little more than a decade after Gary Harris ended his 10-year stint with the company in 2010. American superstar dance Ethan Stiefel stayed for only three years (2011-2014) and Francesco Ventriglia (2015-2017) resigned from the post well before the end of his first contract. Barker’s departure came not long after her husband, ballet master Michael Auer, was the subject of complaints from dancers and denied access to company premises.  

In a statement released by RNZB King-Wall said: “I’ve always admired the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s ability to defy expectations, to create beyond what seemed possible through their tenacity and aroha [love] for the art form. There is so much possibility in front of us, and the prospect of building towards this together with Tobias is very exciting.”

And in a statement from The Australian Ballet School, he said he felt “a great sense of responsibility – to protect the integrity of the company, its history and everything that has been built so far. And in particular, to take care of and support its people – dancers, staff, and everyone involved.”