Bollywood beckons: Elise gets passage to India

Elise Jensen had 14 years of dance experience behind her when she enrolled at a Sydney hospitality college and readied herself for the real world.That was before Bollywood beckoned.The 18-year-old Mt Kembla knockout will spend the next six months moving in the synchronised circles of India's famously fabulous film industry after wowing selectors at an audition broadcast to Mumbai last month.The former Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts student auditioned alongside scores of other hopefuls before winning a contract with the group Starlight Management."They really love to use international dancers in Bollywood because, I was told, we make the star look starry," Miss Jensen said."They also appreciate Caucasian women and like to use us in films and commercials."The contract calls for 12-hour days involving dancing and acting in Bollywood films, video clips, commercials and live performances. There is also some modelling.The deal includes free airfares and a working visa, and western-style apartment lodgings with the services of a maid and chauffeur. Despite the glamour, Miss Jensen will pocket less than $230 for every gruelling 62-hour working week."It doesn't initially pay very well considering the amount of work we put in, but it's primarily about the exposure," she said."A lot of people go over there and get a lot of contacts, and end up organising work freelancing for themselves."It's a fair amount of work, but that's all right - it's my passion, so I'm really excited."In a turn itself worthy of a Bollywood script, it has cast her attention back to a career she thought wasn't possible."I didn't initially want to make a career of dancing; I knew how competitive performance could be," Miss Jensen said."But when I was notified about the audition, I felt I should attend and (skipped class)."