Junior Emily Manchenton has been dancing since she could walk.  She loves performing and has even started to teach dance classes at her dance studio. Manchdenton also sings in choir and helps out in the theater department with the technical side of things.

lhsimage.com asks Manchenton about her love for performing.

Q: How many hours a week do you spend either in a dance class or teaching one yourself?

A: “Right now I dance five hours a week. I teach for two hours and I work in the back for three hours.”

Q: How do you balance time between friends, dance and school?

“It’s been challenging, but once you get a schedule and stick to it, it’ not so bad. I usually do my homework after dance and whatever time I have between them I can socialize. I also spend a lot of time helping with youth activities at my church.”

Q: How do you plan to use all of your dance experience in your future?

A: “Well, I have arthritis in my knee. So with my disability, I don’t think I would be able to keep a career in dance so I’ve decided to choose a career dealing with kids instead. I like working with kids at the dance studio so for a more practical career I would go into child services like day-care or teaching.”

Q: How has you family helped you to develop traits good for working with children?

A: “I have two older sisters and a younger sister. Being in the middle has helped me to be understanding and a good listener. Also, my little sister has helped me with my patience because sometimes she really gets on my nerves.”

Q: Although you’ve had many years of dance, what’s your favorite memory revolving around dance?

A: “Over the summer I had an intensive where you dance for about five hours everyday for a week and we did a really interesting dance about teen suicide. When it was over we had the whole room crying. It felt really good to touch everyone in an emotional way like that.”