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Emelia Perkins

Coryphée

Joined The Sarasota Ballet in 2019 as an Apprentice, promoted to Corps de Ballet in 2020, promoted to Coryphée in 2022.

Born: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Training: The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company, Kansas City Ballet, Houston Ballet Academy, Dancers’ Workshop (Baton Rouge)

Previous company: None

Favorite quotes: ‘Life is a dance, and when you are dancing you are not intent on getting somewhere… The meaning and purpose of dancing is the dance.’ -Alan Watts ; ‘Just yourself be if weird is you.’ ~Link Neal

Favorite role: Bride in Martha Graham’s Appalachian Spring. This role was incredibly expressive and physical, and, while it is not a full length ballet, it was one of the first times I felt like I’d been fully immersed in a character’s journey onstage. I believe it is a feeling that comes more naturally with experience, but I connected with the Bride quite naturally and having the opportunity to explore the role I think was a huge milestone for me as an artist.

Favorite costume: The Birthday Offering tutus. Hands down. Everybody looks good in them.

Fun fact:  My parents thought it would be funny to get me a pet rock instead of flowers at the end of this past season. They name it Ned and took it on a trip to the Ringling museum where they took pictures of him smelling flowers and observing birds before surprising me with him. I thought this was very amusing, so I have continued bringing Ned with me everywhere and documenting his travels. So far Ned has been to Busch Gardens, Disney World, kayaking in Rainbow Springs, to Louisiana, and to the Bahamas!

Featured roles include: Ashton’s Birthday Offering, Façade, Les Patineurs, Valses nobles et sentimentales, Varii Capricci; Balanchine’s Divertimento No.15, The Four Temperaments; Graham’s Appalachian Spring; Graziano’s The Pilgrimage; Kobborg’s La Sylphide; Lang’s Shades of Spring; MacMillan’s Danses Concertantes; Morris’s The Letter V; Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty Act III Pas de Quatre; Taylor’s Brandenburgs; Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs; Walsh’s I Napoletani.