As the curtains are drawn and the music echoes across Wellington’s St James Theatre, ballerina Lucy Green is fearless as she takes the stage as the lead in The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s famed and stunningly beautiful production Giselle.
The Australian Women’s Weekly joined Lucy as she began her gruelling seven week training for the iconic role with 8.30am starts in the studio and working late into the nights, sewing and darning her pointe shoes.
While the strenuous exercise, hours spent with feet submerged in ice cold water to prevent injury, and a life lived out of a suitcase for most of the year is not suited to many, Lucy’s fierce love for the ballet has made her one the RNZB’s most promising young dancers.
Click through to take a look at a day in Lucy’s life, behind the scenes as the RNZB prepare for Giselle’s opening night.
The RNZB’s Giselle is coming to Wellington, Napier, Christchurch, Dunedin, Auckland, Rotorua, and Palmerston North from August 11 to September 9. Visit RNZB for more information.
Read the full story in the August issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly
RNZB Giselle
The day starts early for Lucy.
RNZB Giselle
Giselle is a quintessential romantic ballet that has become a signature work for the RNZB.
RNZB Giselle
Romantic, mystical and lyrical Giselle is a timeless production of one of classical ballet’s great stories
RNZB Giselle
RNZB Giselle
Between rehearsals, Lucy must fit in time with the costume department.
RNZB Giselle
Lucy spends hours sewing her pointe shoes.
