Frazee native Emily Kallis brings A-game to professional dance team

by Barbie Porter
The Frazee Forum
May 25, 2011

Emily Kallis made her professional dancing debut in front of a stadium full of people Oct. 27, 2010.

The Sacramento Kings visited the Minneapolis Target Center (which has a capacity of 20,500 people) to open the professional basketball season against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Before the ball was tossed for tip-off, Kallis and the Timberwolves dancers took the floor to put pep in the crowd and players.

“I just remember being so incredibly excited to dance for the first time in front of the entire stadium,” Kallis recalled. “The crowd was so energetic and it was a night I won’t ever forget.”

During each home game the dancers perform a main piece during the player intros, then throughout the game they do several shorter routines.

“Over the course of the year we learned about 25 actual dances,” Kallis reported, noting throughout they didn’t repeat a routine more than twice.

There were 47 home games last season, but Kallis said she never became completely comfortable with performing in front of a packed stadium – which she said was a good thing.

“It keeps you on your A-game,” she explained. “You just never know who might be coming to a game for the first time, and we wanted to make sure every night was just as special for the audience no matter if it was the first game of the season or the 41st.”

Kallis added the dancers’ head coach Natalie Alvarado also pushed her out of her comfort zone and kept her from becoming complacent in her dancing abilities.

“Natalie has already had an incredibly successful career as a professional dancer and singer, so she really knows what it takes to thrive in this business,” Kallis said. “This season, she constantly pushed me to come out of my shell as a performer, and I know that I wouldn’t have grown as much as both a person and as a performer, if it wasn’t for her. Not only do I look up to her for her professional accomplishments, but also for her positive and motivating personality; she always has an encouraging message to share with the team to keep us motivated.”

Outside of dancing during games Kallis said being part of the Timberwolves team has opened the doors to many exciting and fun experiences.

“We made tons of really fun appearances throughout the year,” she said. “Some of my favorite times were just before the game when we would meet and greet the fans. We would split up around the Target Center to sign our posters, take pictures, welcome fans, and my personal favorite, interact with kids!”

Outside of the wolves den, Kallis also visited elementary and middle schools with the team mascot, “Crunch.”

“He focused a lot on encouraging kids to lead active lifestyles which I loved!” Kallis said. “I am currently studying to take my personal training certification exam, and my platform as Miss Frazee is entitled “Game On: Let’s Get Fit For Life!” I’m really passionate about improving the health and fitness of our nation’s youth, so it was great that I got the chance to incorporate two very important aspects of my life when I would make those appearances.”

Crunch wasn’t the only celebrity she rubbed elbows with. When Kim Kardashian attended a game to watch her boyfriend, Minnesota native Kris Humphries play in a Lakers and Wolves match-up, the dance team took time for photo opportunities.

“It was just one of the fun little things we got to do this year,” Kallis said.

In addition to being a professional dancer, Kallis has continued her education as a full-time student at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.

She is a sophomore working towards earning a degree in communication and journalism with a minor in community health education.

Much like her hometown high school in Frazee, Kallis reported her college also offers small class sizes.

“So I have the luxury of knowing a lot of the people in my classes, as well as having great relationships with my professors, while still getting to enjoy the big-city atmosphere,” Kallis said.

Balancing the world of a student and professional dancer hasn’t been easy, she said.

On game days Kallis would typically end class around 2:40 p.m. But an hour later she was off to the Target Center, oftentimes not returning to campus until 10 p.m.

“It was definitely tough finding time to get everything done,” Kallis noted. “Those days were always fairly stressful. I learned how to make the most of every moment this season, and I believe one of my strongest skills I’ve learned from this entire experience is time management!”

Dance auditions set Aug. 1

The Timberwolves professional dance team will hold open auditions Monday, Aug. 1 at the Graves 601 Hotel on First Avenue North in downtown Minneapolis.

Registration begins at 5 p.m. with auditions starting promptly at 6 p.m. Finalists will be announced that night.

There is a $20 registration fee.

Dancers must:

• Be 18 or older by Aug. 1. A photo ID is required.

• Have a high school diploma or GED.

• Be able to attend home games, rehearsals and other appearances and fulfill a year-long commitment if selected for the team.

• Provide a full-body shot and dance resume.

• Be able to pass a drug screen.

Several prep classes will be offered prior to the auditions.

Class dates are July 8, 10, 15, 17, 22 and 24. Each class costs $10.

Registration for each class starts at 5:30 p.m. and the classes are from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Those who participate in the prep classes will also receive $5 off the audition registration fee.

“I know we have many dancers in the Frazee area, and it would be great to see some hometown faces at auditions this year,” said Frazee dancer Emily Kallis.