Robbinsville senior has grown up on stage away from home
Blairsville, Ga. – It might be odd to call a teenager a veteran in any capacity, but Anna Wehr has put in enough time to be considered a “veteran.”
Fourteen years, to be exact.
The 17-year-old Robbinsville High School senior is set to begin her final year of public school at the front of her class. Wehr attended Governor’s School over the summer and has even signed on as a Knights cheerleader for her swan song.
Some 14 years ago, she was just like any other child: carving out her own personality. The oldest daughter of Aron and Jessica Wehr – sports fanatics might recognize her younger sister Abby’s name, for her multi-faceted athletic pursuits – Anna can barely remember a time when a twice-weekly, two-hour round trip was not in the cards.
All so she could pursue her first true passion: dance.
“I was three years old the first time I stepped onto a dance floor, having no idea that my tiny ballet slippers would eventually grow into pointe shoes,” Anna said.
The innumerable trips always ended in Hayesville, at Stardance Performing Arts. The dance studio is wildly popular, with each age group and discipline chocked full of eager girls – and boys – ready to let their creative muscles flex.
For Robbinsville, dance options used to be few and far between: along with the Hayesville studio, the Murphy School of Dance and Pirouettes in Bryson City were the only destinations around. Pirouettes finally opened a location in Robbinsville last year and was just rebranded as “Leap of Faith” over the summer.
Anna did not indicate why she chose the Hayesville location over the others, but it’s quickly obvious that she made the right decision: one could not help but notice her
comfort and rapport with owner Shelley Gordon at June 9’s “Time to Shine,” a ticketed showcase open to family, friends and loved ones at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Blairsville, Ga.
The camaraderie should be good at this juncture: Gordon has been the creative director for Anna’s entire stint with Stardance.
“For me, dance is therapeutic,” Anna explained. “I don’t dance competitively, so it is all about personal growth. It’s how I improve myself and stay healthy – while doing something that I love.”
She is quick to tell you in smaller group settings that being in the spotlight is not something she looks for. Those in the gallery might be fooled, however: Anna was spot on in all five numbers at the June 9 show, which serves as Stardance’s “year-end” performance.
“Dancing has taught me countless life lessons,” Anna said. “I’ve learned that failure comes easier than success. I have learned that hard work and dedication pay off, and that just because I can’t do something today, doesn’t mean that I won’t be able to do it tomorrow.
“I have learned that sometimes, you have to make sacrifices in order to achieve goals. When I’m missing hanging out with friends because I have practice, I have to keep in mind that my commitment and diligence only make me better.”
Dancing among her peers, Anna and her jazz collaborative opened the show with an upbeat display of “Feeling Good.” The solemn “Dust Bowl” lyrical exhibition capped Act 1 of the program, before she returned to the stage in Act 2 in those same pointe shoes for “Once Upon a December.”
Anna’s final two stints on the stage were spaced just three performances apart, meaning catching a breath before a costume change was a challenge. The ballet “Clocks” was soon followed by the contemporary dance of “Hide and Seek” to cap her time in the limelight.
For now.
In addition to finishing her duties in public school, Anna has one final year left with Stardance. Seniors are given the opportunity to choreograph their own solo performance – meaning that when she steps on-stage for the final time, all eyes will be on her efforts.
Anna welcomes the daunting task; after all, her time in the studio has been one of her biggest aides.
“Performing in front of hundreds of people will never be (in) my comfort zone, but I know I am capable,” Anna said. “I am grateful for the friendships I have made with people from schools who would be considered our ‘rivals.’ They constantly push me to be the best I can be.
“I am passionate about dance and I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to pursue it.”