[3] Clarke left her home in Leeds at the age of 10 to begin training at the Royal Ballet School in London after winning one of 23 places sought by 4,500 entrants.
During the company's tour of China in 2000, she performed the role of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake as a guest dancer, and became senior soloist in that year.
[7] Clarke defended her personal political affiliation, stating that "the BNP is the only party to take a stand against immigration".
[8] She faced calls to be sacked from the English National Ballet by the campaign group Unite Against Fascism, which believed it was inappropriate for a potential role model in a far-right party to be funded with public money.
[11] Clarke was also supported by actors' union Equity, which said it was illegal to sack someone for their political beliefs.