Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emma Senecal. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Emma, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Growing up, I thought that taking a small step outside of my little town in Georgia was a big risk. It made me uncomfortable and nervous to do something out of my typical routine. So when I decided to move across the country, you can probably imagine how anxious I was. At the some time, I had never felt more sure of a decision in my entire life. As soon as I had the idea in my mind there was no turning back and nothing was going to stop me from reaching that goal. Now, I was very much a homebody all through highschool. I drove three places: school, dance, and home. Every week consisted of the same routine consisting of going to school, getting all my homework done before dance, attending my classes, then heading back home for the night. Even on the weekends, I wouldn’t go out with friends and you could probably find me at the studio training. So, when I did make the move to California to pursue dance, I wasn’t only changing my environment but my how I wnet about my life also. I did a fully 360 and wouldn’t change it for the world. I am going on my third year living in California and I couldn’t be happier. The move was definitely the biggest risk I have taken and yet it didn’t feel like a risk at all.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

From a young age, I was always encouraged to be active and creative. My mom owned a dance studio and my dad was my P.E. teacher. I tried a bunch of different sports before I settled down and knew that dance had my heart. Once I was hooked, I spent every moment at the studio trying to perfect my craft and express my creative outlet. I think that I always knew that I wanted dance to be a part of my life for a long time, but it wasn’t until I visited California that I knew exactly where I wanted to be. There was nothing that was going to change my mind was I fell in love with everything that this state had to offer. Making that move at 18 is probably one of my proudest moments. I had to learn how to be on my own really quick and I truthfully never looked back. I definitely have learned more about myself in the last 3 years that I have been in California, than I did when I was home in my comfort zone.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding thing about being an artist is watching your work inspire people. Artists tend to center their work around perfection and expectation. We constantly are striving for that perfect picture to be what society depicts as successful. Yet, everyone’s version of successful is different and there isn’t one correct path to obtain it. We get so in our heads and drive ourselves’ to the point of exhaustion trying to be perfect. Sometimes we have to take a step back and realize just who is watching. Even the smallest actions can inspire someone and we might not even realize it. It is worth all of the heartache and struggle to hear the words ‘You inspire me”.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The biggest lesson I have had to unlearn pertains to always following the rules. As a child, I was conditioned to believe that life revolved around following the rules and always doing what I was told. However, as I have gotten older and become the artist I am, I have found that that is not always true. I major part of being an artist is learning to take risks and make your own decisions. Those aspects have been particularly hard for me because I am always looking for someone to confirm that it was the “right” decision. I am constantly seeking outside validations to tell me that I am on the correct path and that my actions correspond with with the rules. Which has led me to realize that not only is everyone’s’ path different, but the rules that pertain to my life don’t always pertain to other people I admire. I constantly have to have to look deep within and try not to get so caught up in always being a rule follower.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: emma_senecal
• Twitter: sdidancer13

Image Credits
Cory Miller