BIOGRAPHY

Emma Jane Zaher, originally from Easley, South Carolina, began dancing recreationally at the age of three and quickly discovered her passion for the art form. At age six, she started traveling around the United States as a competitive dancer, a journey she continued through her freshman year of high school. At fourteen, Emma Jane developed a deep interest in concert dance, and began increasing her ballet training. This dedication drove her to audition for The Fine Arts Center (FAC) in Greenville, SC, where she began her formal dance education. Soon after starting at FAC, her commitment grew even stronger, leading her to audition for and attend the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities as a residential dance student from her sophomore year of high school until graduation in 2022. There, she studied intensely under Josée Garant, Elizabeth Disharoon Wright, Tracy Vogt, and Maeghan McHale Hobbs. Currently, Emma Jane is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance at The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where she is enhancing her artistic and technical understanding under the guidance of Kurt Douglas, Brian McGinnis, Ruka Hatua-Saar White, Marcus Schulkind, and other esteemed faculty members. At The Boston Conservatory, she has had the privilege to perform works by both students and professional choreographers, including Lar Lubovitch, Christina Chan, Alyssa Lucas, Chung-Fu Chang, Ava Grebe, and Gabby Honoré. Emma Jane just had the opportunity to attend Dance Italia, under Stefanie Nelson, where she received personalized training and helped cultivate a nonjudgmental and holistic space. Emma Jane has developed a newfound passion for rehearsal assisting and directing, and had the opportunity to assist in rehearsals for the first-ever all-female cast of The Unsung (1970), choreographed by José Limón and reconstructed by Kurt Douglas. When she is not dancing, Emma Jane is expanding her skills and passions: She is an AFAA Certified Indoor Cycling Instructor, as well as ServeSafe Food Handler Certified. Emma Jane can also be found hosting at one of Back Bay’s finest restaurants, Rochambeau, assistant managing a family-owned Mexican restaurant back home in South Carolina, or researching the art of Chinese medicine, where she plans to earn a master's degree and become a licensed acupuncturist.