Skye’s the limit for SA teenager

AMBITION: Skye Goss is aiming for success.

AMBITION: Skye Goss is aiming for success.

Published May 3, 2015

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Johannesburg - Skye Goss is a teenager with a mission – and that’s to win the World Championships in Performing Arts in Hollywood in July.

Skye, 13, the daughter of former Miss South Africa Suzette van der Merwe, has already garnered critical acclaim in South Africa by achieving the highest individual score of 97 percent at the South African Junior Grand Championships of Performing Arts in Rustenburg in March. She received the top award for performances across all categories.

Skye was awarded five gold medals, receiving at least one award for each of the categories in which she competed. She glided through the semi-finals, scoring more than 75 percent for each item.

Her prize was a fully paid trip to Los Angeles in July to compete at the World Championships in Hollywood, valued at R50 000.

The thought of going to Hollywood and performing before different audiences is something she finds “incredible”.

She says: “I’m mainly going for the experience. I want to achieve so much and show other South African kids what’s possible. I want to see as many people as possible and hopefully be recognised by a scout.”

Skye will spend two weeks there. She is travelling with her mother and father, who is a drama coach, as well as some of her friends from her drama studio.

“More than anything, I just want to experience everything fully. I have always dreamed of being in Hollywood and it’s a dream coming true. I just want to take it all in,” said Skye.

The performing bug bit for her after she watched a school production at her older brother Graydon’s school.

“I told my mom that being on stage is what I wanted to do with my life.”

Skye is also following in her famous mother’s footsteps, and is a budding model.

Following her stellar performance at this year’s championships, Skye now has her eyes set on a scholarship for Performance Arts at Dainfern College.

The championships were established in 1999 by Ellen Roux of the Gauteng Arts & Culture Council, to develop young artists and entertainers on a platform that would offer them international exposure and, often, professional contracts to pursue lucrative careers in the industry.

Jill Avis is a coach at Dainfern College, where Skye is a Grade 7 pupil. She believes Skye has proven to be a worthy candidate.

“Skye is an excellent student and has a natural flair for drama.

“She is able to perform in all genres and her focused, hard-working attitude has resulted in many outstanding achievements.”

Some of Skye’s most recent achievements include excelling at the National Eisteddfods over the past four years, gaining 80 percent in each item.

She was also invited to perform a solo at the Young Performers’ Showcase at the Roodepoort Theatre, where she was awarded second place in the Top 10 for all preparatory school performers in the Johannesburg/Sandton region.

Weekend Argus

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