Emma Speir
Emma began her training at the age of six at Riverside Ballet Arts in Southern California under the guidance of Glenda Carhart, Damien Diaz, Michel Gervais, Kathleen Riker, Jose Gonzalez, Jessica Adams, Elizabeth Updegraff, and Alexandra Espana. She worked with guest teachers such as Darci Kistler, Katrina Killian, David Allan, and Karen Kain, and attended summer intensives at the School of American Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater, the School of Ballet Arizona, Miami City Ballet, and Oklahoma City Ballet on scholarship. Emma danced professionally with San Diego Ballet and Oklahoma City Ballet before joining NWA Ballet Theatre in 2019. Her repertoire includes numerous roles in the Nutcracker, a Big Swan and Lady in Waiting in Swan Lake, Myrtha in Giselle, the Lilac Fairy and the Woodland Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, the Queen in the Little Mermaid, a Fairy and Ball Guest in Cinderella, Variations 1 and 5 from Paquita, the Grahn and Cerrito Variations from Pas de Quatre, and roles in contemporary works such as Ryan Jolicouer-Nye’s Immortal Beloved and NWABT2+1, Monqiue Meunier’s Religio, Jessica Adams’ Ditching Degas, Michel Gervais’ Hoedown, and R. Clinton Rothwell’s Concerto in G. Emma is also a certified Pilates instructor and is working on her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science.
get to know the dancer
Where are you from?
In one sentence, describe your "discovery" of ballet. Or, what was your pathway to ballet? *
Ballet has been a part of my life since the age of 6, but I didn’t really commit to it until I was about 13 and realized that I wanted to dance and perform for as long as my body will let me.
Do you remember the first ballet you ever saw? What was it and how did it affect you?
My grandma tells me that she took me to see the Nutcracker when I was about three years old, and that I was just enthralled by it. The first ballet I actually remember seeing was a different Nutcracker around age five which I went to see because a friend was performing in it, and I immediately wanted to perform like that as well.
What do you like to do outside of dance (hobbies, interests, etc.)?
Pilates, reading, baking, hiking. I’m also currently working towards my B.S. in Exercise Science, with the hope that I can be a physical therapist someday, and maybe even get lucky enough to specifically work with injured dancers.
What are some of your other talents?
I’m a fully certified Pilates instructor and I love helping people to understand their bodies better. I’m also fairly decent at speed-reading and knitting.
What are some of your indulgences?
Chocolate! Forever and always one of my favorite foods. I also love a really good novel.
What is your favorite role that you have performed? Have not performed?
I loved performing the role of Myrtha in Giselle. She is so coldly and quietly evil, and it was really intriguing to dig through the layers and portray that in my dancing. I would love to perform Juliet from Romeo and Juliet—I saw San Francisco Ballet’s version when I was about 13 years old and it’s stuck with me since. It also relates to one of my other passions, reading.
Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
Taking a moment for myself is important to me, whether I do so by listening to some music or saying a quick prayer. It centers me before I go onstage, which often feels like a whirlwind while it’s happening.
If you weren’t a dancer, what would you be?
I could give so many answers to that question! When I was 6 I wanted to be a chef. When I was 10 I wanted to be a “professional reader.” When I was 12 I talked about being a marine biologist. Now I’m working toward my Bachelor’s in Exercise Science, which could continue into physical therapy or I can use it to further my Pilates knowledge. And I’m already and hope to always be a ballet teacher.
How do you spend your summer breaks?
I’m not very good at taking breaks...I always continue teaching ballet and Pilates over the summer, but I’ll take a week or two off to travel when I can. I have yet to travel outside of the country, but I’ve been to just about every state within it.
If I could visit any country in the world it would be….
All of them! But if I had to choose, I would love to go to France or somewhere else in Europe. Pastries, coffee, and art sound like a great time.
What does Northwest Arkansas mean to you? Why is it special or different from other places you've danced/trained?
NWA has been a very welcoming place. I love the easy access to nature around here, and the people are very friendly.
What are three things people might not know about you?
I love octopuses (if I still lived in Southern California I’d be volunteering at the aquarium in my spare time)
I’m a dog person
I have three younger siblings.