He is dancing in all three of the works being performed by the Royal New Zealand Ballet during its Speed of Light Season.
Not just any works - pieces he has always dreamed of performing, especially William Forsythe's In the Middle Somewhat Elevated.
‘‘It's such an exciting programme. I heard it was coming up and I decided it was exactly the place I want to be to develop as an artist.
‘‘For me [dancing], Forsyth has fulfilled what I always wanted to do.''
Those dreams developed while he was growing up in Scotland, where his father was the one to urge him to try out dance school, and he had not looked back.
He went on to train at the Dance School of Scotland and the English National Ballet School before working with the English National Ballet and the Tivoli Ballet Theatre in Copenhagen.
Dancing in all three works was a challenging programme for Mr Kelly.
‘‘There are so many different elements. It opens your mind ... to different ways to move.''
As he completed each work, he needed to take a moment to think about the next work and what he wanted to portray.
‘‘You take a breath, the music kicks in and so does the adrenaline, especially in these works, as they are so powerful, each in their different way.''
On a more practical level, the studio time required by the works meant picking up the moves was a ‘‘little'' easier.
It also meant the dancers needed to be extra careful about their diet and hydration to optimise their performances.
‘‘Our work can be affected by up to 30% if we are dehydrated.''
