“I will not only stop and smell the flowers, I will plant them myself and watch them grow old with me. I will pull over and dance in every single rainfall, and I will make snow angels even when there is hardly any snow left for the wings.”

Although the author is unknown, freshman Emma Marchlinski likes this quote because it reminds her to “never give up and never to doubt yourself. Never say ‘too late’ because you can always accomplish your dreams.”

Nothing stood in Emma’s way when she danced her way to Paris and achieved a dream. Competing in the Thunderstruck Dance Competition 2017 she was named International Teen Miss Dance Icon.

Since she was 18-months-old, Emma Marchlinski has dedicated her life to dance. All the time and effort she spent practicing her dances came to fruition when she got to compete in Paris at an international dance competition and took first place overall in senior division solos.

“It was the best time of my life and it felt unreal to win,” Emma said.

When she was at church years ago, there were girls dancing on stage, so she told her mom she wanted to do that too, and it has been her life ever since. Today she dances at Foot Works Performing Arts in Benbrook and practices for at least 15 hours a week.

“My life would be terrible and empty without dance; it is literally my life,” Emma said.

Though she practices for hours on routines she will compete with, the nerves never go away for good.

“As I walk on stage I get kinda nervous, but then I get comfortable, breathe and I think about what I’m about to do.”

As the music starts, Emma does exactly what she was born to do: dance.

Emma tries her best to remember that no matter what, nothing is too late to be changed or accomplished. “I will never, ever believe in the words ‘too late’ because it is never too late to be exactly who you wish, do exactly what needs to be heard, and live the exact life you should be living.”