Lucy Balfour, of Christchurch, delivers consistently dynamic and spirited performances. Her portrayal as the hardened diva in The Celebrated Soubrette was internationally acclaimed - The Australian declaring Lucy "wonderful", a sentiment echoed by The San Francisco Chronicle.
Other featured roles include The Chosen One in Milagros, Lucy Westenra in Dracula, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, and Mercedes in Don Quixote. Classically trained,
Lucy graduated from the International Ballet Academy in Christchurch in 2002. In 2007 The New Zealand Herald hailed her performance in Tutus On Tour; “Lucy Balfour was her usual powerhouse of perfect technique and presence in Equilibrium and shows she is also a ballerina at heart in the opening of Pas De Quatre”.
Lucy has toured to China twice with the RNZB. Her role as Lady Capulet in Romeo & Juliet was described as “riveting and “spine-tingling”. Her role as lead gypsy in Don Quixote in last year was labeled “deliciously irreverent”.
Lucy performed lead roles in A Song in the Dark and A Million Kisses to My Skin during the 2010 triple bill From Here to There.
In Carmen, Theatreview said, ““Lucy Balfour as Mercedes has a gutsy commitment to her role” and critic Francesca Horsely said Lucy brought a “saucy flair” to her work.
To read an Interview on The Secret Lives of Dancers with Lucy and The Press please click here
Q&A
Firstly you are one of two Cantabrians in the RNZB – what was your initial reaction/ feeling when you heard about the earthquake? When and how did you hear about it?
My sister called me from Auckland at 7:30am on Saturday morning and told me about the earthquake and that Mum and Dad were ok...I guess that frightened me because I hadn’t heard anything about it and had no idea just how big it was.
Are any of your friends/family affected? How?
My friends and family are all ok and safe, the damage is not too bad – just a brick fence that’s fallen over, chimneys that have had to be taken down and lots of smashed and broken glass, paintings and crockery.
What would be your words of wisdom for the people of Christchurch?
Look after yourselves, others and think consciously.
Do you feel prepared if ‘the big one’ was to hit Wellington?
At the moment I’m not prepared...though I am taking it very seriously now! Am getting a survival kit put together and have also worked out a safe way to navigate my house in case of emergency. It’s pretty scary thinking about it!!
How do you unwind after a full on day?
I head home and cook a really yummy dinner and a glass of wine always helps, then I relax and watch some TV or a DVD with my boyfriend. I also like to read.
What do you like to do when you’re not dancing?
I like to spend time with my family whenever I can, Summer is a really good time for that, to get away from the city for a bit and spend time at the beach and up near Nelson.
Highlights at the RNZB so far?
Definitely travelling overseas with the company to the UK, China, Australia and San Francisco. Performing in A Million Kisses to my Skin, A Song in the Dark, Dracula and Plan to A have all been highlights too.
Dream role?
I don’t really have a dream role though there are some amazing choreographers I want to work with in my career
I don’t really have a dream role though there are some amazing choreographers I want to work with in my career
Is the RNZB really like a family?
Most of the time....
