We were looking for an exceptionally talented dancer to deliver a breathtaking modern ballet performance. Crucially, we also needed our lead to be a powerful actor – able to deliver a range of emotions throughout the highs and lows of the narrative. COVID considerations had crunched our timelines so we had 2 weeks to cast, and therefore spread the net far and wide. As this was a global campaign, we knew our dancer could be anywhere, so we reached out to the world’s best ballet schools across Europe, US and Nigeria. When we found Tais, we realised that she was a prodigious dancer; able to double pirouette (rare at her age). However, we had concerns over her looks. She seemed almost too beautiful and poised. Call backs with our Director confirmed that she was able to deliver outstanding emotive range, and we had found our lead. (145 words)