Loughlan Prior

Loughlan Prior is a dancer and choreographer. He creates theatre, film and multimedia projects, and has had his work presented in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, Germany and the United States.^[1]

Prior in 2019

He was appointed choreographer in residence at the Royal New Zealand Ballet in 2018.^[2]

Biography

Prior was born in Australia.^[3] He started ballet when he was five, and continued through high school going to the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne.^[3] Moving to New Zealand after that, he attended the New Zealand School of Dance in Wellington and graduated in 2009, when he joined the Royal New Zealand Ballet.^[3]

Prior developed his choreographic practice while he was dancing at the Royal New Zealand Ballet, retiring from his dance role in 2019.^[2]

In 2014, Prior became the creative director of Prior Visual, a project-based film collective, and in 2020 started a company Lo | Co Arts, with composer Claire Cowan.^[4]

Credits

As choreographer

• 2016 – Curious Alchemy, Assemblée Internationale, Canada^[4]
• 2019 – The Appearance of Colour, Queensland Ballet^[2]
• 2019 – Hansel and Gretel, Royal New Zealand Ballet^[2]
• 2021 – Transfigured Night, Chamber Music New Zealand (featuring music by Schoenberg, New Zealand composer Tabea Squire and Dvorak)^[5]
• 2021 – Subtle Dances, BalletCollective Aotearoa, Dunedin Festival of the Arts^[6]
• 2021 – Ultra Violet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Festival of Colour Festival, Wānaka^[6]
• 2021 – The Firebird, Royal New Zealand Ballet. Costume and set design: Tracy Grant Lord; lighting design: Jon Buswell; animation/visuals: POW Studios;^[7] title role, soloist Ana Gallardo Lobaina.^[8]
• 2021 – Timeweaver, New Zealand School of Dance Graduation^[9]

Awards

• 2015 – Harry Haythorne Award (Ballet Foundation of New Zealand)^[2]
• 2016 – Tup Lang Choreographic Award (Creative New Zealand)^[2]