By Ruwani Perera
Three years ago, Shae Berney kept a secret from his school friends - he had started ballet classes.
"You really find out who your really good friends are, when the secret comes out that you're a dancer. But I'm really lucky I've got supportive friends and an amazing family - like, really supportive family," Berney said.
While most start classical ballet lessons as soon as they can walk, the 17-year-old Ngāti Kahungunu teen didn't start until he was 13. Berney told TV3's The Hui how naturally dancing came to him.
"Just one class and I loved it," he said.
The former gymnast is the envy of his peers, having landed a three-year scholarship, - including full tuition costs - with a prestigious ballet school in London.
"This is talent. The English National Ballet School is a school where a lot of famous and great dancers started in the past so it's a great opportunity for him," says Royal New Zealand Ballet's artistic director Francesco Ventriglia.
Bronwyn Bennett has been Berney's dance teacher since the beginning and encouraged him to do a Skype audition for the scholarship.
"I am very proud of him, but it's him that's worked. I can give all that information to someone else who doesn't work the same, and it won't happen," says Bennett.
Although he's excited to pursue his dream, Berney remains pragmatic.
"Plan B is being a graphic designer, hopefully. I might end up doing that on the sidelines anyway, but dancing's my thing - that's what I really want to do."
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