Shaun James Kelly

Faculty – VOCATIONAL PATHWAYS TO PERFORMANCE COURSE

Scottish-born dancer and choreographer Shaun James Kelly is recognised as one of Aotearoa’s most exciting creative talents, celebrated for both his “classical majesty” on stage and his “spellbinding brilliance” as a choreographer. With a career spanning Scotland, England, Denmark, and more than a decade with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Shaun has earned international acclaim for his innovative works, including the critically praised Prismatic and Chrysalis. Twice awarded the Harry Haythorne Choreographic Award, he continues to push the boundaries of classical technique while inspiring the next generation of dancers through his teaching and mentorship.

With his choreography reviewed as “classical majesty”, “spellbinding brilliance” and “pushing classical technique to the edge”, and his dancing described as “needle sharp”, “magnificent, generous, vivacious” and “effortless”, Scottish-born Shaun James Kelly is one of Aotearoa’s most exciting performers and choreographers, his career spanning Scotland, England, Denmark and—for more than a decade—New Zealand with RNZB.

Two-time winner of the Harry Haythorne Choreographic Award (2016; 2023), Shaun has choreographed for music videos, NZ Fashion Week, Auckland Live, Massey University, Cystic Fibrosis NZ, the New Zealand School of Dance, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, YAGP, Svendborg Ballet Theatre (Denmark), and RNZB – becoming Choreographer in Residence in 2018. His acclaimed reimagining of Prismatic for RNZB’s 70th Anniversary “Platinum” in 2023 found its way to audiences nationwide in 2024 was brought back in 2025 in collaboration with his native Scottish Ballet. The world premiere of his piece Chrysalis in 2025 was received with critical acclaim as, simply, “pure magic”.

Versatile, committed and vigorously talented, he has successfully choreographed pieces through Zoom, attesting to an eye for detail and initiative that transcends physical boundaries, as well as in complex and multi-levelled environments such as the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, the latter readapted for stage at the Tempo Dance Festival Te Rerenga o Tere in 2024. His Scottish-inspired work Alba featured twelve male dancers at Wellington’s Government House Gardens in 2022 and was his first digital screen piece. With inspired and respected leadership, he mentors young dancers with the RNZB National Mentor Programme, and with the Royal Academy of Dance he oversees the Summer School Choreographic Workshops and shares his passion with the Silver Swans^®.

Shaun is excited to head the RAD’s Pathway to Performance summer school in 2026 with a focus on repertoire and choreography, revisiting Prismatic as a case study on the students.