Mercurio established his own ballet company, the Australian Choreographic Ensemble (ACE) in 1992, and while he was creating the outfit's first presentation, began to attract incredible media attention with his leading role in his first feature. "Strictly Ballroom" (1992), a fairly conventional but zestfully presented tale of a rebel hoofer and his search for a partner who can match his dynamic but unconventional style. It also did so well on the US art-house circuit that Mercurio was invited to star in a Hollywood film, but "Exit to Eden" (1994), aiming to be a titillating comedy set on an island resort for those eager to try sadomasochistic sex, was roundly spanked by critics, mass audiences and SM practitioners alike.