But for the choreographer of the Royal New Zealand Ballet's Don Quixote production, ballet became a passion.
He was 12 years old when a visiting Australian ballet master took his parents aside and suggested he should think seriously about a future in dance.
It was after a year at Christchurch Boys' High School that he decided to attend Melbourne's Victoria College of Arts, where he could learn dance and continue his education.
''I just felt right surrounded by musicians and dancers and it just clicked.
''Christchurch Boys' was a rugby school. Not the place for male ballet dancers. It was very good school, just not the right fit.''
He soon found out the Australian Ballet School was the place to go if he wanted to get into the national ballet company, but he was too young.
However, a class with a former Australian ballet principal led to an audition with the school and he got in. It meant doing his schooling by correspondence.
''Everyone was three to four years older than me. But it felt right.''
Throughout this, his mother stayed with him, travelling between the two countries. As a 17-year-old he joined the Australian Ballet Company full-time, rising to senior artist level.
He did guest spots with the Canadian and Scottish ballets and left for a stint in European ballet company Basel when he was 24.
''I just decided I needed a change. To see what else was out there.''
But he returned and, after taking a choreographic workshop, discovered a talent for choreography. One thing led to another and he was commissioned to do work for the West Australian Ballet and Australian Ballet School.
''I freelanced for 10 years travelling all over. It was fun, but a little bit scary at times too.''
A friendship with RNZB artistic director Gary Harris saw him be invited to New Zealand in 2004 to choreograph Nutcracker.
He joined Mr Harris again in 2008 on a production of Don Quixote, ''a benchmark work''.
''It was a big challenge as we decided to go for a classical version of Don Quixote. It was a bit to get our heads around to reinterpret the characters ... lighten it up with the comedic part of it. That's where Sharon the dog comes in.
''The work I'm known for is contemporary ballet, so doing a classical version took a bit to get my head around,'' he said.
The current production of Don Quixote had to be done without Mr Harris, who is now in Europe.
Performing it a second time had enabled him to refine the choreography, bring out the humour and encourage the dancers to take risks, he said.
Watching his work being performed was different.
''As a dancer you can do physical work to work out the nervous energy, but as a choreographer or directing it's about letting it go.
''You have to step back, trust yourself and trust them to just go for it and connect with the audience.
''You want them to have that really great night. To nail it.''
