Artistry, emotion and a powerful connection to music are what separates dance from sport, says Royal New Zealand Ballet dancer Clytie Campbell.
She grew up around her mother’s studio, the Philippa Campbell Academy in Auckland, which has produced many top performers. Starting to train from age five was a foregone conclusion, but it has taken more than parental encouragement to sustain her 17-year long international career.
Clytie left New Zealand as a teenager to join the Deutsche Opera in Berlin, then the Vienna State Opera.
Back home on holiday, she was invited to join RNZB and loved the company so much that she decided to turn her back on Europe.
That was nine years ago.
Now Clytie is gearing up for another nationwide tour - this time presenting ‘Allegro’- a mixed bill of five short ballets that will travel to seven towns and cities around the country.
WATCH Clytie Campbell talk about the challenges and highlights of her career: