Lauren Byrne was raised in Lower Hutt. After completing her professional dance training at the New Zealand School of Dance, Lauren created and performed her own dance works at festivals in NZ, China and the UK.
Lauren joined RNZB in 2020 and has since taught over 1,000 students from schools and dance schools across Aotearoa.
Alongside teaching in schools, Lauren has been facilitating and running the dance workshops held in collaboration with the Department of Corrections | Ara Poutama Aotearoa in men’s and women’s prisons throughout Aotearoa.
Lauren loves the opportunity to connect with a wide range of communities and share the love of movement throughout Aotearoa.

What's your highlight from your time at the New Zealand School of Dance?

Choreographic season in both 2nd and 3rd year was definitely a highlight for me. In 3rd year, our show was called 'The Residents' and it was the first time I had an opportunity to choreograph on other people. The environment we worked in was so supportive and there were so many people to ask for help and advice. It was a huge learning experience in how to manage time, be confident in your decision making and also create a safe and positive space for the dancers you’re working with to immerse and connect themselves with your work so you can get the best out of them.

Of course, another highlight is all the amazing friends and people I met throughout my three years. I met all my best friends whilst there -  such a special group of young, creative and passionate people. 

Why did you audition for NZSD?

When I was 16 years old, I decided that I would like to pursue a career in dance and had heard about NZSD from other older students at my dance school. After seeing a Graduation Season whilst in high school, I was immediately inspired and knew I wanted to audition- I wanted to learn what they had been taught!

I loved how physical the course was and how it focused on both contemporary dance and classical ballet.

NZSD being in Wellington was great for me, as I am from Lower Hutt which meant I could stay at home and commute into the city.  

What inspires you to dance and move? 

Music is a huge inspiration for me, as well as the freedom I feel when I am dancing. I love putting on a great playlist and having time in the studio to play around with new movement pathways. There is always something more to learn or practice too!  

What have been your highlights since graduating from NZSD?

Since graduating, my highlight has been when Emma Martin and I toured one of the shows we had created to an arts festival in London. We were a two-man team, so did all of the choreography, dancing, lights, advertising, promotion and applications. I’m really proud of our show and the hard work it took to get us there!

Tell us about your current role and location.

My current role is Senior Dance Educator with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, based in Wellington, NZ.

I travel Aotearoa and share dance with people across the country. Our purpose is to make dance accessible to all people, no matter age, ability or circumstance. We work with various groups to introduce dance, from new entrants at school to an ongoing programme we have running with the Department of Corrections. My job is to learn sections of each RNZB performance and then teach that to many students whilst also taking company classes as much as possible to maintain fitness (and for fun!). On top of dance workshops, we run residencies that involve working with the same group of students for a period of 10 weeks, working towards a performance at the end. A recent example of this was when I got to work with 4 schools in the Bay of Islands and create a show, which they then performed alongside RNZB as a part of the Upsurge Arts Festival.

What advice would you give to aspiring dancers?

Remember why you love dancing and hold onto that feeling- especially if it is hard. I would also say that you have to be your biggest motivator- if you want to do something, go out and push yourself to do it. Every decision you make will lead you to the right path and where you should be!

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