Getting to Know DWC Ambassador Emma Spencer
By Samantha Weissbach
Samantha Weissbach is a dancer, choreographer, and business professional born & raised in the Pacific Northwest. She has been dancing since the age of 2, and continues to dance and teach ballet and pointe professionally in the Greater Seattle Area. Samantha has trained at numerous establishments and programs; however, her primary training was received at Cornerstone Studio, Ballet Bellevue, and Emerald Ballet Theatre.
Currently, she serves as Executive Director of Intrepidus Dance, and is a company member with Intrepidus Dance and Forthun+Rome Dance Theater.
PICTURED: Emma Spencer, DWC Ambassador
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By Samantha Weissbach
Dancewear Center Ambassador (DWCA) Emma Spencer started dancing in kindergarten, and like so many dance students, grew more involved and moved up through the levels as her years of experience multiplied. She began competing at age 7, began her pointe journey around 11 years old, became a teacher’s assistant at age 14, and now teaches her own classes at the Academy of Dance in Port Orchard. Emma has especially fond memories of the pointe roles she’s since had the opportunity to perform such as Clara and Sugar Plum in The Nutcracker, Tinkerbell in Peter Pan, and Chip in Beauty & the Beast. For only being 17 years old, DWCA Emma Spencer has a lot of dance experience to show for it. In addition to regular dance training, competing, and teaching, Emma is also a member of her studio’s pre-professional program: all while maintaining a full-time school schedule!
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Emma’s favorite thing about dance is that it provides a healthy emotional outlet. She has found that her personal struggles with mental health cause her anxiety to physically manifest in her body. Dance for Emma helps to release the tension and allow it to flow through and out of her. “[Dance is] a bit more emotional with your entire body; not just your voice or your hands or your brain. I think it lets go of a lot of bodily tension and not just mental tension.”
When asked what her biggest challenge within dance is, Emma responds, “I’m very much in my head. I am a huge perfectionist,” and goes on to share that she struggles not to compare herself and her progress to her peers’. “Whenever someone else is given a compliment, I tend to think, ‘oh, I didn’t do well,’ and it’s not that I’m upset I didn’t get a compliment, it’s just that I don’t know if I did well or not and I crave that feedback.”
Her advice for dancers who may be working to overcome these same internal battles? “As someone who struggles with [comparison] myself, it’s a lot of mental blocking. It’s incredibly hard to just stop comparing yourself. It’s easier said than done. It’s a lot of taking the time to focus on yourself and what you should be working on rather than what others are working on.” Emma goes on to share that taking others’ corrections and applying them to herself helps keep her focused on her training rather than on comparing herself to others.
Some other practices Emma has employed are journaling and mindful improvisation movement. “I like to improv at my home studio, and then take time to reflect on that improv, which allows me to stay present and within myself. In class, Emma writes down in her journal both corrections and compliments she receives in class from her teachers and peers. It’s a practice she also instills in her students. “It helps me keep my confidence up.”
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What would Emma like to see change in the dance world? “I am incredibly passionate about educating the public on epilepsy and other invisible disabilities.” Emma goes on to share that her own sibling was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 7, and with that diagnosis came a lot of fear surrounding how little they knew about the disorder. “Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder in the United States, and one in every 100 people will have a seizure in their lifetime. With such a common disorder, one would think there would be quite a bit more awareness, but I’ve met people my age or even older who stigmatize or know next to nothing about epilepsy.”
The solution? Education. Emma herself is certified in epilepsy First Aid, and encourages all dance studios (and workplaces in general) to facilitate mandatory CPR, First Aid, and epilepsy training to their staff. Posting visual instructions (i.e. posters) on steps to take when someone is experiencing a seizure could literally save a life. “1 in every 25 people has epilepsy. It’s important for all of us to know what to do during a seizure event.”
Another powerful tool to influence change? Talking. What a lot of people don’t realize is that people with epilepsy oftentimes choose not to disclose their diagnosis for fear of ridicule. “ I spoke with my sibling about why they were previously so adamant about keeping [their] epilepsy a secret, and they told me it was embarrassing. People would joke about seizures or judge a person because of their epilepsy.” Once Emma’s sibling began opening up about their condition; however, they found other people within their own school who also had seizure disorders who were afraid to share their condition: for the same reasons. “Since then, my sibling has been very open about their experiences with living with epilepsy and has made many friends because of it, and it’s inspired me to push myself to eradicate stigmas and misinformation surrounding seizure disorders. Opening up conversations about epilepsy is one of the things we can do to destigmatize it.”
To read more about Emma, check out the links below!