Emma Van D'huynslager

My first dance steps were in pre-school. I quickly branched out — first to ballet, then jazz, modern and contemporary. At ten I joined the Ndigo Company.

Being part of the competition team showed me what it means to be part of something bigger. With the group, in duos and as a soloist I've competed across Belgium and abroad.

My standout experience was the New Prague Dance Festival — dancing alongside talented dancers from around the world, taking class from world-class teachers, and performing with live piano in the studios of the Prague Conservatory.

Helping out at the Ndigo dance camps made me realise how much I love giving children a great time while they learn through movement. That's what drew me to the Jazz Dance Instructor programme.

I'm also studying physiotherapy at Ghent University. That training gives me the knowledge to help dancers stay injury-free. It's a unique crossroads: learning about the human body at university level while drawing on my own background as a dancer and teacher.