Emma Frye was born and raised in Hickory, North Carolina, where she began her dance training at age four. Training in a competitive setting as well as with a pre-professional ballet company set her up to expand her versatility as a dancer. Currently a student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Emma plans to graduate in 2027 with a BFA in Contemporary Dance and a minor in Arts Entrepreneurship. Her coursework includes exposure to classical modern techniques and current contemporary styles, as well as daily training in classical ballet. During her studies, Emma performed works by Kyle Abraham, Endalyn T. Outlaw, José Limón, Pascal Rioult, and Ming-Lung Yang, among others.
Outside of UNCSA, she furthered her training by attending intensives with Springboard Danse, Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp, Bruce Wood Dance Dallas, Koresh Dance Company, and Nashville Ballet. Emma is also an alumna of The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Ensemble under the direction of Gerald Casel and Francisco Martininez. These experiences provided her the opportunity to work with renowned figures including Emilie Leriche, Omar Román de Jesús, Jermaine Spivey, Spenser Theberge, Jacob Jonas, and Adam Barruch. In 2025, Emma had the opportunity to perform as a guest artist for a TEDx event, where she performed a self-choreographed solo.
Emma continues to discover who she is as an artist, using authenticity and intentionality to drive her creativity. She is eager to share her passion for dance with others through performing and teaching.