Fancy Footwork In Hsc
Sydney Morning Herald
Monday January 31, 2000
Camille Erskine sat for two of her HSC exams at the end of Year 11 and another three last year at the end of Year 12. A passionate ballerina, it was her way of juggling her schooling with her dancing - and of excelling at both.
At the end of last year the strategy paid off. Camille finished up dux of The McDonald College, a Strathfield private school which has a strong emphasis on the performing arts. The subjects she studied were 2 unit English, 3 unit maths, 2 unit chemistry, 2 unit physics and 2 unit classical ballet. "I thought it was important to do both ballet and school, because you have to be intelligent to do ballet, and you never know when you might get an injury. I wouldn't want to have to go back to school after that. And I enjoyed my school work. It helped keep my mind occupied."
Camille was invited to apply to attend The McDonald College after her talent was spotted when she did after-school ballet classes there. Most people who pursue ballet, she says, have to drop their schooling to practise dance full time. But McDonald made it possible for her to pursue both. "The school was so flexible and because of the way the timetable worked, I was able to keep both my education and my dancing up."
In Year 12 she spent four to five hours a day - Monday to Friday - dancing. Then she danced all day Saturday. Her school work was fitted in around that, and it included private tutorials from teachers keen to keep her up to the mark academically.
Camille's UAI score of 96.45 was enough to get her over the line in university courses of her choice in physiotherapy and optometry. But instead, she has decided to defer university studies, after being accepted into the New Zealand School of Dance. She left last week to embark on the two-year intensive training program in Wellington, which she hopes will see her secure a place in either the Royal New Zealand Ballet or the Australian Ballet.
Camille has won a scholarship - worth a third of the tuition fees - to the New Zealand School. In addition the Strathfield Rotary Club has agreed to sponsor her, and help with study expenses.
© 2000 Sydney Morning Herald