Meet Emma Senecal: Dancer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emma Senecal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emma, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
Success looks different for everyone, so in my opinion there is not an actual definition of success. You can set goals and accomplish them, but you are always going to be working towards another goal. Some people associate success with money and others with getting the dream job. It really depends on your mindset and how you approach accomplishing your goals. I think this makes our connotation of success unobtainable. We tend to put this false image in our heads of what success is and think that our lives’ will not be worthy if that purpose is not met. You do not have to be famous and have tons of money to be successful. I do believe that everyone has a specific and unique path that the Lord has finely tuned. This means that not one single persons’ journey is going to look like the next, making comparison such a dangerous road to walk. We are so fixed on achieving someone else’s definition of success that we often fail to recognize our own, especially when it is right in front of our faces. On the other hand we are so overly focused on finding our own success that, we start to follow the wrong path. Growing up, I fell into the trap of believing that to be a successful dancer I had to book a huge job and make lots of money. I thought that I had to look like the dancers I adored on Instagram or I was not going to “make it” as a dancer. I have quickly learned as a dancer that I can not be like anyone else nor can I embody who another dancer has become on their own journey. Recently, I have come to the realization that life can not be forced and neither can success. I have started to understand that the only way to be satisfied in both is to let the Lord take full and utter control. You have to trust in knowing that you do not have control over how your life is going to play out. Your human idea of what life is supposed to look like is very different from God’s plan. So, trying to be embody society’s definition of success will ultimately lead to failure, due to it being based on earthly desires. I have come to the revelation that trying to be more Christ like, will lead to peace, fulfillment, and incomprehensible successes.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Everyone has to go through different challenges to become who God has destined them to be. He will only put you through things that He knows that you can handle. Nothing will be put on your plate that is too big for you to accomplish, but that doesn’t mean that life is easy. Especially not the life of a dancer. I am constantly having to look at myself in the mirror and self correct all of my flaws. There were many times when I came very close to quitting completely because I did not believe I was good enough. I had a hard time accepting my weaknesses and I had to learn how to turn them into my strengths. I actually changed a lot about my self and who I was. I did a lot of self reflection that has allowed me to become the person I am today. I am so thankful for all of the challenges I went through and now understand just how beneficial they were. I was transformed by all the hardships I experienced and would not change a thing about them. The biggest thing I have taken away from these experiences recently is how to truly be selfless. I have found so much gratitude in giving to others rather than serving myself. It is very natural for me and most humans to rely on just themselves because we believe that no one understands what we are going through. That is where I was so wrong and I only caused more hardships by this belief. I am slowly learning that it is physically not possible to live a wholesome life by only relying on yourself. An outlet I have been able to use to be less selfish and to share my craft is social media. I am able to not only share dance videos, but inspiring messages and thoughts. I can lead by example and show people how we can all live a life like Jesus. The fact that I get to share my journey and show people from around the world who God is creating me to be, is just a huge blessing. I can not think of a better way to express my love for the Lord almighty than through my journey as a dancer.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had a friend visiting Atlanta for the first time, I would take them to the Marietta Square to experience the vast amount of artistry present. We would all be sure to stop by Tiny Bubbles Tea Bar. Then I would take them to The Battery for dinner and maybe see a Braves game if it is baseball season. I would make sure that I took them to Kennesaw Mountain for a nice hike and some good views. Afterwards we would go to The Daily Grind for coffee and some good food. At some point during the week we would drop in at Xcel studios to take some dance classes to keep up with our training. I can’t forget about Mercedes Benz Stadium where we would hopefully be able to see an Atlanta United game. We could then spend the day walking around Atlanta. We would also need to do some shopping, so we will need to stop at Atlantic Station, the Avalon, and definitely Ponce City Market. Six Flags is a must for thrill rides and adventure seekers. Then we will end our trip with a relaxing day at Centennial Olympic Park.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I owe a lot of credit to a lot of people. I am so thankful for the way my parents raised me and the morals that they instilled in me. My love for dance was definitely motivated by my mother. She owned my studio growing up and I spent majority of my childhood falling in love with the atmosphere there. At first I was just dancing as a hobby, but I started to get very excited by the idea of making it a career. My mom provided me with so many opportunities that allowed me to make connections and be where I am today. She made it possible for me to visit all of the places I was interested in after highschool and California ended up being the place. I currently live in Southern California where I train at a studio called the Brea Space. I am in a program that bridges the gap between highschool and the professional world. I am able to be out here because of the connections I was able to make through my mom. She taught me the value of being kind to all and building relationships with people. I am now using those skills to start building my own connections out here.

Instagram: emma_senecal

Twitter: @sdidancer13

Youtube: emma senecal

Image Credits
Cory Miller, Jason Napier, and Ryan Fleming