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Dance Ambassador Spotlight: Emma (@extendandelevate)

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A young ballet dancer in a white tutu performing a grand jeté leap across a dark stage. Her arms are extended gracefully, and she is framed by warm stage lights and deep blue theater curtains in the background.
Dabour Photography dance ambassadors at the State Theatre of the Arts on September 23, 2025. Photo by DAVE DABOUR Photography

Some dancers grow in front of your lens year after year, and watching that evolution is one of the best parts of what I do. Emma (@extendandelevate) is absolutely one of those dancers. Even though this is her first year as one of my dance ambassadors, I’ve been photographing her for years—and every session reminds me just how much talent, drive, and personality she brings to her art.

Emma is known for many things, but her incredible flexibility is always front and center. She gets into poses that make my back hurt, and I’m not even the one doing them! What amazes me most is how effortless she makes it all look. One moment she’s a poised, elegant young woman; the next she snaps into a bold, sassy pose like she flipped a switch from 0 to 100.

A young dancer, Emma, sitting on a stage floor in a white Clara ballet dress and a sparkling tiara. She is smiling while holding a wooden Nutcracker doll, captured against a blue and black smokey background with professional studio lighting.
A young dancer, Emma, in a white Clara ballet dress and pointe shoes, performing a graceful arabesque while holding a Nutcracker doll. She is captured in profile against a dark, smokey background with a bright rim light highlighting her silhouette.
A young ballet dancer, Emma, sitting gracefully on the floor in a white Clara costume with blue trim and a bow in her hair. She is smiling and leaning toward a tall wooden Nutcracker doll, set against a dark, atmospheric studio background with cool-toned floor lighting.

This past season, Emma stepped into the iconic role of Clara in her studio’s production of The Nutcracker. I had the chance to create some beautiful, artistic portraits of her in those costumes, and she brought such grace and storytelling to every frame. It’s a role that demands both technique and heart, and she delivered both with maturity beyond her years.

Emma is also one of those dancers who starts doing the pose before I even finish asking. She listens, interprets, and moves with instinct—and that makes every session with her a creative joy. Whether we’re working on clean classical lines, dramatic lighting, or something playful and expressive, she brings her whole self to the moment.

I’m grateful to have Emma in this year’s ambassador team, and I’m excited for all the portraits, ideas, and creative adventures still ahead. Watching her grow as both a dancer and an artist has been a privilege, and I look forward to photographing her for many more years to come.

Know a dancer or studio looking for artistic dance portraits?
I’d love to help bring their vision to life—feel free to share my work or send them my way!

A ballet dancer in a white leotard and a voluminous white tulle tutu stands on pointe on a dark stage. She has her arms crossed over her chest in a graceful pose against a backdrop of deep blue velvet theater curtains.
A young dance ambassador, Emma, performing an athletic stag jump in an open field at Spruce Run. She is wearing a seafoam green long-sleeved dance top and a black tutu, captured mid-air with a lake and sunlit trees in the background.
A young dancer, Emma, standing confidently on a rock in the middle of a lake. She is wearing a black sleeveless dance top and blue shorts, posing with hands on her hips against a background of sparkling water at Spruce Run.
A young dancer, Emma, performing a graceful leg extension (arabesque) while balancing on one leg on a sandy shore. She is wearing a black dance leotard and a light purple wrap skirt, with the blue water and a cloudy sky of Spruce Run in the background.
A young dancer, Emma, performing an advanced leg extension (scorpian pose) while balancing on one foot. She is wearing a dark, sequined costume with a fringe, captured against a dramatic black background with yellow backlighting and atmospheric fog.
A young dancer, Emma, performing a full straddle split on a reflective studio floor. She is wearing a black sleeveless dance top and leggings, smiling with one arm arched over her head, captured against a misty grey background with soft studio lighting.
A young dancer, Emma, performing a deep lunge on a reflective studio floor. She is wearing a black dance outfit and is captured in a silhouette-style pose with a bright white light shining from behind her, creating a glow through the atmospheric fog.
A young female dancer in a grey top and black leggings performing a one-handed floor balance on a stage. She has one arm on the ground and one leg extended horizontally in a "needle" or tilted scale position, set against a rustic brick wall and colorful blue and red stage lighting.

ARC Performing Arts Presents SpongeBob Youth Edition

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A young actor dressed as SpongeBob SquarePants stands in front of a large yellow pineapple house prop. Next to him, another actor is crouched on a skateboard, dressed as Gary the Snail with a pink shell and green antennae.
ARC Performing Arts presents ‘SpongeBob: Youth Edition’ March 2026. Photo by DAVE DABOUR Photography

The ARC Performing Arts community is buzzing with excitement as they open their bright, high‑energy production of SpongeBob School Edition tonight. I had the chance to photograph last night’s final dress rehearsal, and the cast brought so much color, character, and heart to the stage that it was impossible not to smile behind the camera.

This is my second production with ARC—their Matilda production was the first time I worked with them, and it was a joy from start to finish. If you’d like to revisit that gallery, you can find it here: https://proofs.dabourphoto.com/ARC-Matilda

A Creative Team That Brings Stories to Life

ARC has a gift for creating productions that feel both polished and deeply personal. Their students commit fully to their characters, and the creative team builds worlds that are vibrant, imaginative, and full of detail. SpongeBob School Edition is no exception—every scene is packed with movement, color, and the kind of joyful chaos that makes this show such a fan favorite.

Show Information

Performances begin tonight, with additional shows tomorrow. Ticket information is available directly through ARC’s website:
https://www.arcperformingarts.com/spongebob

You can also learn more about ARC’s programs and upcoming season at:
https://www.arcperformingarts.com/

A Look Inside the Final Dress Rehearsal

Below are several of my favorite images from last night’s rehearsal. They capture the energy, humor, and heart that this cast brings to the stage. From bold character moments to dynamic ensemble scenes, this group makes Bikini Bottom feel wonderfully alive.

A young actor from ARC Performing Arts wearing a bright red wig and a light blue short-sleeved button-down shirt, smiling while performing on stage for the SpongeBob: Youth Edition production.
A young performer dressed as SpongeBob SquarePants for an ARC Performing Arts production. The costume includes a yellow checkered short-sleeved shirt, a red necktie, tan shorts with brown suspenders, and black-rimmed glasses.
A young actor dressed as Patrick Star in a pink Hawaiian shirt and green shorts stands center stage, surrounded by a group of performers in shimmering turquoise costumes and pink beanies. They are performing a choreographed scene from SpongeBob: Youth Edition.
Two young performers from ARC Performing Arts on stage. One is wearing a silver metallic dress with futuristic white sunglasses, and the other is wearing a green sequined blazer with an eyepatch and dark glasses, performing in SpongeBob: Youth Edition.
A young actor performing as Squidward Tentacles from SpongeBob: Youth Edition. The performer is wearing a light orange polo shirt, teal pants with two extra stuffed "tentacle" legs attached, a sea-foam green wig, and round glasses, posing with one hand on their hip.

Closing Thoughts

It’s been a pleasure photographing ARC again, and I’m excited for audiences to experience the fun and creativity this cast has poured into the show. Break a leg to the entire team tonight and tomorrow!

Do you know of a show that could use great production photography or videography? I’d love to help bring their story to life. Feel free to share my work with them or send them my way!