"In the Future, it is Done" - Emmery's story

"In the future, it is done."

“That’s the piece of advice I carry with me everywhere. A dancer friend told me that years ago when I was panicking about a choreography I couldn’t get right. She said, “In the future, it’s done. You’re going to be standing there, presenting something. So why waste all this time stressing when the inspiration will come?” It stuck with me. I’ve brought it into everything - dance, derby, life.

I’ve been dancing since I was 13. My mum was a ballet teacher, but she quit when I was born. She didn’t want to become one of those dance mums. But it was always there, in the background. Dance became such a big part of our family that it was eventually banned as a dinner table topic. We’d all get too heated about it! My dad was always so supportive of Mum. He built sets, stayed up late for rehearsals - he was the ultimate dance dad. Honestly, it’s given me unrealistic expectations for relationships. If you’re not committed to me and my dancing, it’s not going to work.

Dance gave me a foundation, but so did derby. I’ve been skating for about ten years now. I started as an adult, like most people in roller derby. We all know the feeling of being overwhelmed by the skating part at first, but that’s part of the magic. You fall down, you get back up, and you keep going.

I’m a jammer, which means I’m the one trying to score points by running into people - or, as I prefer, pushing them out of the way. I’m a pacifist at heart. I’d rather establish my position and move people gently than hit hard. I’d feel terrible if I actually hurt someone.

Derby isn’t just about the game, though. It’s about the community. Here in Palmy, we’ve built something special. We’ve woven te reo Māori into our league, translating moves like “sticky feet” and “stops” into Māori, and we’ve learned waiata together. The dream is to play a full game immersed in te reo. It’s not just about winning; it’s about unity, about kotahitanga.

Derby is also one of the few places I feel truly comfortable being out and non-binary. The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association is explicitly inclusive of women, trans, intersex, and gender-diverse people. It’s written into the rules. That kind of inclusion is rare, but within the league, I’ve found a family.

Outside of derby, I’ve done so many things. I’ve danced, sewn, cross-stitched, modeled for life drawing classes. I’ve learned to be okay with being a beginner. The more you practice starting from scratch, the less scary it gets. Whether or not you end up being professional-level doesn’t matter. As long as you’re doing it for yourself, that’s what counts.

Every year, I perform burlesque at Vinegar Hill. There’s something about burlesque that builds confidence. If you own your body, your presence, your story, people respond to that. If I stood up there feeling awkward, it wouldn’t land the same way.

I guess that’s how I approach life. I live it. I find things I enjoy, and I give them a go. If I want to try something, I just do it. And when things get tough, I remind myself: in the future, it is done. The journey will get me there.”