Senior Spotlight: Kate Pohner
15 Years Dancing at Sharon’s Studio of Dance & Music
$450.00 Scholarship
Kate Pohner has been dancing at Sharon’s Studio of Dance & Music for 15 years! At her final recital, she will be awarded a $450 scholarship. Kate will be attending the University of Maryland in the Fall. We will miss her so much but cannot wait to see all of the success in her future! Read Kate’s senior dance essay below.
To say that Sharon’s has shaped me into who I am today would be an understatement. In all honesty, there aren’t words that equate to the devotion I have to this studio and these people, but I have a page to try my best. Most people are familiar with the butterfly effect, as something very little unexpectedly influences something bigger in the future. I like to think that dance has shaped me into the person I am today, of course in the ways that most people would assume. I’m more confident standing by myself in front of a group of people, whether I’m giving a presentation or walking into a room alone, because being on a stage in front of an entire audience since I was 6 quickly helped me get accustomed to it. Dance has also given me enough moves to aid my awkwardness on the dance floor at sweet 16s and parties. But I like to think that my time at Sharon’s has given me so much more than what’s on the surface level. For example, having Ms. Vicky as a solo teacher, I often find myself having deep conversations to try and pull from emotions in order to convey a story with my dancing. This has helped me grow emotionally on an incredible level and I’m consequently better at expressing how I feel in challenging situations, and the relationships I have formed are stronger because I know how to communicate how I feel. Remembering a 3 minute dance seems easy, but I’ve been on stage with a completely blank mind, forcing myself to make something up on the spot. Last summer in an interview for a job, I was asked a question I didn’t know how to answer, but the ability to think on my feet without getting in my head clearly worked, because I got the position. I think the most unexpected but important lesson I’ve learned from being at Sharon’s would be to always appreciate the moment because it may never look or feel the same.
I started at Sharon’s as one of the youngest on the competition team, and I’ve watched most of my friends move onto something else, or graduate. As I’ve grown up in the studio, so did everyone else around me until suddenly the girls that taught me everything I know had all moved on. It’s bittersweet to know that my time at Sharon’s is now coming to a close, but I have so many people to thank for giving me something so hard to say goodbye to. Dr. Seuss wrote “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened,” and I have so much to smile about. I will forever be grateful for what Sharon’s has given me, and I can't wait to make everyone proud.