Professional Dancer, Photographer, Motivational Speaker & Amputee Advocate

Brylee Mills lost her left arm in a car accident at age six — and went on to become a professional dancer, photographer, entrepreneur and one of New Zealand's most engaging young motivational speakers, helping audiences reframe what's possible after life's biggest setbacks.

Who is Brylee Mills?

Brylee Mills is a Mount Maunganui-born professional dancer, photographer, motivational speaker and disability advocate. At six she lost her left arm in a freak car accident and was told to expect a life of limits — instead she trained for 17 years in dance, graduating with a Cert IV in Dance (Classical and Contemporary) from Sydney's renowned Brent Street Performing Arts Centre in 2015. She has danced on New Zealand's Got Talent, The Voice Australia and with Touch Compass Dance Company, founded The Warrior Project to empower young women, and runs Auckland-based studios Somewhere and event company Nowhere with her partner. She has been speaking professionally since 2016.

Career Highlights

• Cert IV in Dance (Classical and Contemporary), Brent Street Sydney

• Subject of TVNZ documentary Being Me Brylee

• Danced on New Zealand's Got Talent and The Voice Australia

• Founder of The Warrior Project, empowering young women through workshops and photoshoots

• Co-founder of Somewhere (photography and creative studio) and Nowhere (events)

• National keynote speaker on resilience and disability since 2016

• Featured in Jockey's NZFW23 runway show and major NZ brand campaigns

Key Speaking Themes

• Resilience and overcoming life-changing adversity

• Body positivity, self-worth and challenging norms

• Disability awareness and inclusion

• Pursuing a passion when the world says you can't

• Entrepreneurship, creativity and building your own platform

What Your Audience Will Gain

Brylee speaks with refreshing honesty about the realities of life as an amputee — including the hard parts — alongside the determination, dance and creativity she's built around it. Audiences leave with a different perspective on what's possible after a setback and the courage that comes with being unapologetically yourself.

Ideal For

• Schools, colleges and youth leadership events

• Disability awareness and inclusion programmes

• Women's networks and empowerment events

• Resilience, wellbeing and mental health conferences

• Corporate kick-offs and conferences

Frequently Asked Questions about Brylee Mills

What does Brylee Mills speak about? Resilience, overcoming adversity, body positivity, disability inclusion and pursuing your passion.

Where is Brylee Mills based? Brylee is based in Auckland and Mount Maunganui, and travels nationally for speaking engagements.

Is Brylee Mills suitable for school audiences? Yes. Brylee speaks regularly at schools and at events like National Young Leaders Day.

Can Brylee tailor her talk for corporate audiences? Yes. She adapts her story to leadership, resilience and inclusion themes for corporate clients.

How long is a typical Brylee Mills keynote? A standard keynote runs 45 minutes plus 15 minutes Q&A.

Is Brylee Mills available for media appearances? Yes. Brylee has appeared on TVNZ, Attitude TV and across NZ media as a model, dancer and advocate.