'Ballet, school, ballet, sleep' key to Auckland teen's medal success

Auckland's Monet Hewitt, who has been dancing since 8 years old, last week won a gold medal at the prestigious Genee International Ballet Competition in Hong Kong. Photo / GENEE INTERNATIONAL

A strict routine of "ballet, school, ballet, sleep" - and her grandmother's dedicated costume making skills - are what a 16-year-old Auckland girl credits her success on the world stage to.

Monet Hewitt last week won a gold medal at the prestigious Genee International Ballet Competition in Hong Kong.

She was among 51 of the world's finest young dancers from 13 countries, aged between 15 and 19 years old.

Hewitt, who has been dancing since 8 years old, says it was "terrifying" competing but she loved every minute of it.

Ahead of the Genee - her first big international competition - she prepared two routines and once there, she had a week to learn a third, two-minute-long routine as well.

She says it was challenging at first but she quickly got the hang of it and made it her own.

"I felt like it was choreographed for me."

When her number was called out at the awards ceremony, she says she forgot what number she was.

It wasn't until her name was called out that she realised she had won gold.

"It was a massive shock", she says.

Hewitt says she has followed the Genee International Ballet Competition for most of her life.

"Some years the judges don't even give out a gold," she says, proudly.

She also won $10,000, which will go towards her next big career move; London.

Hewitt travelled to the United Kingdom in April this year to audition for the English National Ballet School. A week later, she got the life-changing news that she had got in. She leaves next week.

Hewitt says she is beyond grateful for the sacrifices her family, including her two older brothers, have made so that she could give ballet her all.