Kallis hired by Timberwolves dance team

By Barbie Porter
The Frazee Forum
August 19, 2010

Miss Frazee Emily Kallis has a new title to add to her name – Timberwolves dancer.

The Frazee High School graduate was recently informed she was one of 16 dancers for Minnesota’s professional basketball team.

In addition to performing at Timberwolves home games she will also make promotional appearances at various venues like the state fair.

While Kallis is starting her first professional job she is also preparing to attend the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul where she will work towards a degree in communication and journalism and health promotion.

While juggling studies and a job, Kallis is also looking forward to fulfilling her duties as Miss Frazee.

“I want to encourage people to stay active and healthy,” she said. “Hopefully I’ll be able to work with the Frazee schools, and do some fundraising for the Children’s Miracle Network.”

Kallis stumbled into dancing when she was nine.

“I tried dancing after a friend asked me to join her for a class at the Center Stage Dance Academy in Detroit Lakes,” she recalled. “I just love it. I’ve learned all types of dancing from ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop and lyrical.”

Attending the dance academy from fourth grade through her senior year, Kallis decided to give professional dancing a chance.

“I first auditioned last year,” Kallis said. “I wasn’t old enough, but I did it for the experience.”

Kallis noted since she was a young girl she looked up to the Timberwolves dancers and was delighted when the organization contacted her after the audition.

“They asked if I wanted to join a master-class program,” Kallis said, likening it to a training camp for dancers.

She gladly accepted the offer, even though it meant driving to the cities every Sunday, practicing from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., then returning home.

Kallis noted her parents Kathy and Scott were very supportive and even drove her back and forth for practice.

After a year of training she was ready for the grueling audition this year, which had 170 girls vying for 16 spots.

“I definitely felt more prepared this year,” Kallis said. “But there were a lot of great dancers.”

The auditions started in the evening and lasted about six hours.

“There were four cuts the first night,” Kallis said. “We did a freestyle dance, girls were cut; then we learned a combo and more girls were cut … it was a pretty intense, long night.”

Forty-five girls were cut to 33 during the training camp, which included an interview and four hours of dancing over a course of four days.

“The Wednesday after the training camp ended we had our final auditions,” Kallis said. “It included a dance, workout, rehearsal and a final show.”

Kallis worked hard to earn her spot on the team and is looking forward to reaping a few perks.

“We get a one-on-one with a personal trainer once a week, which we don’t have to pay for,” Kallis said. “I’m sure I’ll learn a lot and it will help keep me in shape for Miss Frazee.”