Mariia Borysiak and Vlada Makushyna were back in the dance studio this week, stretching muscles that have not trained for months.
“I cannot imagine that we can stay here and we can dance,” says Vlada, 21.
“We were rescued from war and a really bad situation. This has saved our lives, and I have a lot of emotions about it.”
“We cry every day, every day because we are so happy,” says Mariia, 19.
The pair arrived in Sydney last week from Poland with few possessions – the clothes they wore and a couple of warm coats in a small bag. They are among 750 Ukrainian performing arts students being relocated worldwide from the capital Kyiv.
So far, almost 300 have been rehomed, thanks in part to the efforts of one woman - former circus performer, entrepreneur and mum, Jasmine Straga.
“We have rescued 292 so far, but the rest of the 750 are still there,” says Ms Straga, 40, who is on the board of the World Circus Federation.
“These dancers had big goals and big dreams, and we want them to be able to continue those dreams, so that the war has not taken everything from them.”
Ms Straga's goal is to save Ukraine's performing arts industry, which she says is a big part of the country’s cultural heritage. But she has a personal reason, too.
“When I was a young performer, I was in some very sticky situations and really scared to ask for help. So now I am in a position of authority, I want to help younger performers.
“We just wanted to get these girls out, and to keep them safe,” she says.
Vlada and Mariia have moved to the NSW Central Coast and resume full-time dance training next week at Lee Academy, a dance and performing arts school which has offered a six-month scholarship and full-time dance diploma at no cost.
Ms Straga's friend has also offered her home, free of charge, as a base for the dancers while they train.
“We are so very excited,” says Mariia. “We can’t wait to get there and start working hard every day, we really cannot wait.”
Mariia and Vlada entered Australia on T600 tourist visas and Ms Straga has already applied for 449 and 786 temporary humanitarian visas which would enable them to apply for work, study and obtain Medicare benefits.
The Australian government announced the temporary humanitarian visas in March, which allow refugees from Ukraine to live in Australia for three years.
The Minister for Immigration's office says more than 7,200 visitor visas have been issued to Ukrainians so far, and 2,600 have arrived in Australia. Most of those arrivals are now transitioning to humanitarian visas.
Kateryna Argyrou is co-chair of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, and describes Australians as "incredibly generous, by opening their hearts and their homes".
But millions of Ukrainians displaced by conflict still need assistance, she says, and those arriving here face challenges too.
"Many are women and children, with husbands and fathers left behind. Even though part of the family has a safe sky over their head they are absolutely torn because the other half of their family, the other half of their heart remains in a war zone being bombed.
"So in terms of the mental health impacts, there is definitely a level of shock, possibly post-traumatic stress and a huge level of anxiety."
For Vlada and Mariia, this week in Sydney marks the end of a long and harrowing journey from Ukraine that began almost two months ago. Before the invasion, the pair studied full time at the Kyiv Academy of Circus And Variety Arts, which was established in 1961.
Mariia fled to Krakow in Poland with her mother and sister, who remain there, after they spent weeks hiding in a damp bunker under the family home in Ternopil near the western city of Lviv.
“The bunker was very wet and cold. Both myself and my sister developed pneumonia, but in Ukraine we could not get treatment because all the doctors and clinics are treating soldiers,” she says.
Her father remains in Ukraine under mandatory conscription rules, despite having a heart condition.
“We speak with our families every day by phone. But if I call my dad and he doesn’t answer, I feel really scared,” says Mariia.
During heavy bombing in March, Vlada continued to practice at the Kyiv Academy of Circus And Variety Arts and slept in a hallway at her apartment.
“At night there were sirens and explosions. I had my bed on the floor far from the windows,” she says.
Vlada eventually caught a crowded train to Poland, fleeing west with thousands of others displaced by the conflict.
“From the window I could see the bombing and a lot of people on the train were screaming,” she says.
Vlada is in the final months of a four-year choreography program and, like Mariia, is continuing her Kyiv studies remotely while training in Australia.
The pair practised in-studio this week free of charge, at Dance North Academy in Sydney's Brookvale.
"We have a lot of dancers the same age, and to know about what these women are going through is heartbreaking, and we are so pleased to be able to help," says owner Mandi Whittaker.
From Monday, they will film themselves training on the Central Coast and send the videos to their dance teachers, who are also living abroad after being displaced by the conflict.
Ms Straga, who runs the Australian Circus festival, has set up a GoFundMe page to help with living expenses and is grateful to Australian businesses which have offered gifts of clothing, opal cards for transport, and credit for free phone calls.
The dancers are training in new dance shoes, offered for free by a Sydney store, and they are wearing street clothes from charity Dress for Success.
“I have more clothes now than I have ever had,” says Mariia.
Ms Straga hopes to bring more of Ukraine's performing artists to Australia, to work and train here, in the coming months.
This week, though, Ms Straga treated her first arrivals to Sydney’s tourist attractions and even an Australian ballet performance at the Sydney Opera House.
“We have really fallen in love with Sydney, it is such a beautiful city. And Australians are very open and friendly too," says Vlada.
But they owe it all to Jasmine Straga and her tireless efforts to save Ukraine’s performing artists.
“She has changed our lives forever,” says Vlada.
“She is amazing and one of the most beautiful people I have ever met.”
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