ADTC: What is your favorite color?

Emily K: My favorite color is yellow. It is a bright, cheerful, and lively color. It demonstrates good times and sunny days – two things I definitely love. I am a pretty happy girl with a lot of energy and enthusiasm in everything I do.

ADTC: Who is your Idol?

Emily K: My idol is Michela DePrince, an African American ballerina born in Africa and raised in the United States. Growing up, she was beaten by her abusive uncle because of her appearance. When she was young, she came across an old, torn dance magazine cover with a photograph of a dancer on it. That is what drove her and inspired her to become a dancer. I am inspired by her because through all of the hardships she faced, she got through them and became one of the best African American dancers in the world. She never took no as an answer, and kept fighting until she got what she wanted.

ADTC: Why do you love to dance?

Emily K: I love to dance because it lets me express myself in ways I never imagined I could. I can be flowy and soft in ballet and lyrical, or strong and loud in tap. I can bring out my true feelings through dance, and pull out my deepest emotions and dance them.

ADTC: What is your proudest accomplishment & why?

Emily K: My proudest accomplishment so far in dance is having a solo that won 3 major competitions. I had only been working on this particular routine for under a year, and all of my hard work and determination really paid off. Although winning is not what made me feel happy, it was the fact that I proved to so many other people that even though they doubted me and pulled me down, I could still do incredible things. And that’s exactly what I did.

ADTC: What goals are you working on right now (in both dance & life)?

Emily K: A goal I’m currently working on is building stronger bonds with my teammates. It’s hard to connect with your fellow dancers in a routine if you hardly know one another. My main goal by the end of this season is to make 5 new friends on the team, and also work very hard to connect with all of the girls on our team.

ADTC: What is the most daring thing you’ve ever done? What did you learn?

Emily K: One of the most daring things I’ve ever done was stand up to two girls who I’ve been dancing with for 5 years who recently began bullying me. Standing up for myself has always been a huge challenge for me. It always gives me anxiety that if I stand up and say something, other people might judge me and leave me alone. But I’ve learned that true friends will stick by your side through thick and thin, no matter what other people say or think of you. I try to live up to that reputation every day.

ADTC: What is the your favorite ADTC memory & why?

Emily K: My favorite ADTC memory was definitely getting ready for our photo shoot with Miss Chloe. We all were hanging out in one dorm doing each other’s hair and makeup and choosing outfits. We had some old classic pop music blasting in the background, and as we got ready, we talked about our studios and lives at home, and I definitely made a ton of new friends through those few hours in that dorm.