Hi Victoria and Emmerly! Victoria, this will be your sixth time to Australia. Is there anything that you want to do while you're here?
V: I feel like there’s so many restaurants that my friends – I have friends now in Australia, which is so fun. But there are a lot of restaurants that I missed out on last time that I didn’t go to, so trying one or two of those restaurants. But I’m not sure touristy-wise – last time I didn’t go to Melbourne so I’m excited to go back to Melbourne. We start there, so that’s exciting. Last time I was only in Brisbane and Sydney, so I didn’t get to do all the cities, so I’m excited to move around more this time.

Emmerly, this is your first time to Australia. Victoria has just given a bunch of great tips (check them out in our interview in the Feb/March 2026 issue of Total Girl), but is there anything else you want to add to that list?
E: She had me at coffee. Vic has the best coffee spots, so I’m very excited to try that. I’m excited to see the beaches – I hear so much about the beaches, that it’s so nice over there and the weather, so I’m just excited in general.

What’s something that you admire about your own characters? 
V: That’s such a nice question. I think my character definitely was pretty resilient through different things, and I think as a person I like to think I am as well. I think that different storylines that my character was given, she had to show leadership and she had to show resilience and I think that’s probably one word that I would give Michelle and I think also Victoria.

E: Love that, love that. I think for Kenzie, I think honestly her leadership as well. She came from, I came on with Sage and Liam and she always wanted to be a leader and I feel like even season seven she tried to be a dance captain and it never happened. And then she kept pushing forward and then it happened and I often just say to myself if I really try. I think my friends just call me the mum of the groups, along the lines of being a leader in a sense. So yeah I think that’s kinda similar honestly.

What are your top tips for acing a dance audition?
E: I’d say don’t worry about anyone else in the room. Because when you start to stress about other people in the room, I promise you no one is watching you. So if you focus on yourself and really try your best to get the choreography and stand out and be different, I think you got it.

V: Yeah, I think that’s definitely a huge good piece of advice. I think when you’re in a dance audition particularly, you’re in with a lot of people and it can get really overwhelming and you’re starting to look around and ‘ooh this person is wearing this outfit’ and wearing that, and it’s like 'I just gotta tune everybody out' and just focus on you and lock into you, so I just think really locking into you and being focused on you and putting yourself out there is the best piece of advice that I think we can probably give.

Dancing and also acting are a pretty tough industry and business, how do you handle rejection and stay motivated?
V: Yeah I mean, it’s tough. Even right before this I just did a self-tape and I’m like, the other day one of my friends – she does hair so she has no idea how acting works, she’s like ‘so when do you hear back?’ (laughs) And I’m like ‘oh I probably won’t hear back.’ She’s like ‘they don’t call you?’ So honestly I think it just becomes a part of it, but you just have to realise it’s just a part of the journey and whatever’s meant for you will be for you. I think the harder you hold onto things, the less they’re going to be yours and you gotta just do it and release. That’s the way that I think of it. And that’s how I get through it because if I get super attached to certain roles or gigs, 'oh I want this so bad', it ends up being not mine so I end up kind of doing things and going ‘ah’ and it’s out of my control. Just letting god and life do it’s thing.

E: I agree, 100 percent. I always say that rejection is redirection. Maybe you just weren’t supposed to be at that one. Maybe the next one is going to be yours. Everybody has their role that is supposed to be theirs. And be patient, it’s a lot of patience.

V: Yeah, totally.

🩰Check out more of our chat with Victoria and Emmerly in the February/March 2026 'Make a Splash' issue of Total Girl, out the week of January 19 in Australia and February 9 in NZ. Watch their special shout out to TGs HERE. Keep your eyes on our channel for more with Victoria and Emmerly too! 🤩

Are you a fan of The Next Step? Are you excited for The Next Step Legacy World Tour? Let us know in the comments! 💃💃🏾

See The Next Step Legacy World Tour live!
April 8: Hamer Hall, Melbourne VIC 
April 9: GPAC Playhouse, Geelong VIC 
April 10: Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide SA
April 12: HOTA Theatre, Gold Coast QLD
April 13: Events Centre, Caloundra QLD 
April 14: QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane QLD
April 15: Civic Theatre, Newcastle NSW
April 16: The Pavillion Performing Arts Centre, Sutherland NSW
April 17: State Theatre, Sydney NSW
April 19: Canberra Theatre, Canberra ACT