A Chance to Dance: Emma Hallo

What would it be like to audition for a spot in the rest of your life? Emma Hallo, senior at CHS and aspiring dance major, is in the midst of the demanding audition process to be admitted into dance programs across the United States. She has been working tirelessly on not only her technique and solo performances for the audition, but focusing in school to be accepted into programs for academics as well.

Emma has been dancing for fourteen years and has no intention to stop anytime soon. She has been a part of Caledonia Dance Company for her entire career, traveling and competing throughout the Midwest. Emma stated that she could not imagine her life without dance: “It’s the only thing I really love and I want to pursue it and make a career out of it.” For Emma, dance is her “therapy” and makes her feel like she’s truly herself.

Although Emma stuck with the same company over all those years, she has branched out into the dance world, often taking classes from outside choreographers and experimenting with new styles of dance. “Something I’ve learned is that it’s okay to make mistakes and to learn from them, rather than letting them hold you back,” Emma said while talking about her past experiences. When asked about her future ambitions, she responded, “I want to learn how to become a more adaptable dancer. I want to be willing and able to tackle anything thrown at me.”

Studying and pursuing dance as a career is not a direction for the weak. “I have a lot of fears because with dance, you don’t always have a steady job,” said Hallo, “You have to always be auditioning in order to keep money coming in.” The world of professional dance is extremely competitive and sometimes difficult to manage. However, even with her fears, Emma is determined: “I really don’t see myself doing anything else so I’m ready to take the chance.”

Emma Hallo just has the passion to dance; “I love performing because I get to tell a story and bring out emotions that relate to the dance itself.” Dance is a way for people to communicate with and connect to each other without using language or sometimes without even interacting face to face. Emma shared, “I love to make other people feel something and tap into their emotions through my dancing.”