Written By: Ella Madison
For Emma Karpenske, the UNW dance club is not just a club, it is a team, a family, and a significant part of her college experience.
Who is Emma?
If you know Emma, you know she is a happy and bubbly person. The way she leads the UNW dance team shows her love for dance and her passion for keeping practices lighthearted and safe. She has worked diligently to create a space where teammates can enjoy one another’s company and stay focused. She balances keeping the team engaged and making sure she encourages hard work, with humor and Christ-like encouragement. She never leaves her teammates or students feeling intimidated or unable to speak to her. If you are a teammate or student of Emma‘s, you know she has your back and cares for you. No matter what background or experience you have, Emma makes sure you feel included and have a place to improve your skills on the dance team. Emma is hard-working and driven while prioritizing positivity, inclusivity, and humor on the team
Emma’s Experience
From age eight, dance has played an important role in Emma’s life. She started dancing at the studio Dance Explosion in second grade and graduated from the studio as a senior in 2022. She has now been teaching at this studio for the past seven years and has taught many dancers with ages ranging from two to eighteen. This experience that she has had teaching has played a large role in her coaching style for the UNW dance team. She has dance training and teaching in many styles such as jazz, ballet, lyrical, tap, hip-hop, and pom/kick.
Pictured: Young Emma in a dance costume
How Emma Gained Her Role
Emma joined the dance team here at UNW during her first semester, and very quickly became an important part of the team’s leadership. During her second semester, Emma stepped into a coaching position on the team then after the team’s previous president graduated, Emma gained her current role as coach, choreographer, and vice president to current president Anna Dwyer. Emma has many roles as a leader of this team. She not only works for hours choreographing the teams’ dances, but she also has patience and puts in the effort to teach and clean the choreography with the members of the team during weekly practices. Emma is passionate about this team and wants more people to know about it. She hopes that her involvement on the team can leave a lasting impact, and she wants the team to gain more visibility and respect within the university.
She shares this vision by saying, “Our club has been here for a long time, and I want more people to know about it and see the impact it has.” – Emma Karpenske
Dance Is Not the Only Thing That Requires Balance
With Emma’s busy schedule, she has had to learn how to balance many different things. Emma says, “I prioritize my academic and dance commitments during the week, so I can make time for friends on the weekends.” (E. Karpenske, personal communication, October 14, 2024). Her incredible time management skills allow her to be a strong dancer and leader, academically excellent, and also an involved friend. With an obvious passion for teaching, Emma is an Education major with a dance minor, working to become a teacher for special education students, as well as continuing to teach/coach dance.
About the Team
The UNW dance team was founded in 2017 and offers a unique opportunity for dancers of all skill levels to express their passion for dance within a supportive and faith-centered community. The UNW dance team is made up of girls with different majors and ages, but one thing in common is a love and passion for dance. The UNW Dance Team’s mission statement is: “Established in 2017, the UNW Dance Team is a club for students of any dance experience with a common interest in using their talents to glorify God in a supportive team environment.” (UNW Dance Team, 2024). If you have an interaction with any of the team leaders or members, you will see this mission statement come to life.
Emma’s Favorite Memories on the Team
As Emma reflects on her past few years on the UNW dance team, she speaks highly of the team’s photoshoot days (pictured below). She says that this is a time when everyone can relax, get dressed up, and enjoy each other’s company without having to focus on choreography. Emma instills her hard-working nature into her dancers, but she also encourages them to have fun and enjoy life with a smile. She feels that these photo days have strengthened the bonds within the team as it’s grown and changed, and these memories are very special to her.
Pictured: UNW Dance Team 2023-24
Join the dance team! UNW Dance Team Info
Follow the Team on Instagram! @unwspdt
