Dance: the movement of the body in a rhythmic way, usually to music and with a given space, for the purpose of expressing an idea or emotion, releasing energy, or simply taking delight in the movement itself. 

Best friend: a person who is valued above all other friends in life, someone to have fun with, someone that is trustworthy and someone to confide in. 

When putting two and two together, there arises two best friends who have been dancing together since they were 2 years old which was 15 years ago: senior Emma Dietrick and junior Emma Peterman.

They met in one of their first ever dance classes where they learned their first dance together. 

“It’s like having another sister who you know will always be by your side,” Dietrick said. 

Between dance, school and Lioneers, they see each other a lot.

“Being best friends and having dance means a lot of goofing off and laughing for no reason, but we spend at least 24 hours a week together. We have many group dances and a trio that we get to perform at least six times a year,” Dietrick said

“Dance is very special; we are together pretty much all the time, and we are in all of the same dances so we are together [for that] all of the time too,” Peterman said. 

Competitions are some of their favorite memories together.

“Anytime one of us gets off stage after completing a solo, we hug because it makes you remember what all the hard work is for and that you always have someone who has your back whether we did good or bad,” Dietrick.

Peterman has a similar memory.

“Just this year, we came off from doing our solos at a competition and hugged. [It was] a very good memory,” Peterman said. 

Not only do they dance together at a company outside of school, but they also decided to dance for the Lioneers together. 

“We decided to do Lioneers because we wanted to do something through school that involved doing something we love: dance,” Peterman said.

Dietrick also joined Lioneers for her own opportunities. 

“For me, it gave me yet another opportunity to dance and get to experience a new environment while still being able to do what I love,” Dietrick said. “For us, it gave us a chance to dance with new people while still getting to perform with each other.”

Lioneer adviser Julie Schmoke enjoys having them on the team. 

“Emma and Emma not only are great technical dancers, but they have learned to have endurance, trust, responsibility and respect, which are all qualities that make dancers fantastic friends,” Schmoke said.

Dietrick is a senior and will be attending a college next year, while Peterman will still be in Altoona.

“I will be very very sad. She’s my best friend and I am with her all the time, so it’s going to be hard,” Peterman said. 

Dietrick’s college is in Erie—three and a half hours away from Altoona.

“I think it’s definitely going to be a major change leaving my second home and my best friend to go to college. I was recruited and committed to the dance team at Gannon University which is in Erie, so I will be leaving Altoona, but I’m hoping that will still let my love for dance grow even though I know it can never fully replace the family I have at dance now,” Dietrick said. 

Not only are they best friends, but they also have the same name, which is special to them.

“We get this question a lot, but you honestly don’t even realize it as much as you would think. It does help the people at Starbucks remember you though,” Dietrick said.