Quick step to Sydney

RESTING: Mark Lace and Kate Van Elswijk enjoy a short break before work starts in Sydney. PICTURE: PAUL BROOKS

Former Wanganui High School students Mark Lace and Kate Van Elswijk begin studies this month at Ettingshausens Performing Arts Institute in Sydney, Australia.
Both graduates of the Sharyn Underwood School of Dance they plan on making a career out of their dancing talent.
When Mark and Kate sat their Advanced 1 exam in September of 2013, the examiner was Kaye Thomas, mother of Natalie Ettingshausen, and former owner of the school.
"At the end of the exam she asked us what we wanted to do next year," says Kate. "We said we were doing Advanced 2."
"We said we were going to try to get into a performing arts or dance school," Mark says. "She [Kaye] just smiled and nodded."
Sharyn Underwood's senior dancers had been to Sydney that year and had spent a day at Ettingshausens, so Kate told Kaye she'd enjoyed it and would like to go there. Before the exams were over the two dancers were offered places at the school.
The school began in 1995, growing out of a dance academy run by Kaye and Natalie. Since then it has become one of the most prestigious performing arts institutes in Australasia.
The course is a full year and Natalie has been looking for accommodation on their behalf.
"Natalie is very good at looking after you without rescuing you," says Kate.
"That's what we were looking for," says Kate's mother, Amanda, "That they've got your back but you're going to have to behave and do the work. They're coming through for us."
"You come out with a Level IV Certificate," says Kate, "And at the end of the year they also have Agency Week where agents come and watch your classes. There are other opportunities like scholarships to Broadway Dance in America, which Holly Finch from Taupo has just received."
Ella Hickling, another Sharyn Underwood student, has also completed a year at Ettingshausens after joining the group on their 2013 Sydney tour of possible dance schools.
Students are free to accept work in the industry while studying. "It's the only school in Sydney that lets you work outside the school," says Kate.
"They bring in the best of the best to teach you," she says, "It's like every time you go into the room and you have someone new, you're technically auditioning because everyone knows everyone in the industry."
"It's ideal though," says Mark, "Because you make contacts and connections."
Mark and Kate hope to stay together as mutual support, particularly as Kate has a vision impairment. Her eyesight has been measured at 10 per cent of normal, she sees in monochrome, has minimal peripheral vision, poor depth perception and is photophobic - bright light causes "whiteout".
"I don't think my eyesight will be a big issue as Natalie has already said she will help," she says. "You get to an age when you start to realise you've got a disability and you're different; but when I dance, I'm normal."
Amanda was concerned that Kate's disability would be a disadvantage in the big city. "It's been quite a journey to accept they have to go offshore to do this.
"I don't see the dance school being a problem, it's the travelling. Given time, she'll memorise everything as she has in New Zealand and she'll make it work. While she is visually impaired, she's learned to manage it beyond what you'd expect. We're also lucky Mark's going and he will be great support."
Mark's concern is maintaining energy levels during long days of dancing and fitness training, as well as all the other aspects of performing arts.
Both Mark and Kate say they owe a lot to Sharyn Underwood who has taught Kate since she was five and Mark since he was eight.
"She has been amazing," says Amanda. "Sharyn's made whatever adjustments were needed to accommodate Kate so she could dance, not knowing whether this was going to be anything significant.
"Without Sharyn's help we wouldn't have got here."