We had the good fortune of connecting with Sharon Wehner and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Sharon, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
For me, it started with a simple passion as a very young girl who loved to dance. I had no idea what it actually meant or would take to become a ballerina, but I just knew it’s what lit me up and also piqued my desire to learn and grow as a human being. I was one of those rare examples of someone who had a dream as a 4 year old, and had the good fortune to realize that dream.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Dance is not an exclusive art form. As humans, we need to move our bodies, and move our emotions through our bodies, whether it be through voice, writing, painting, dancing or some other expression. This is the mantra that I have held throughout my journey from professional performer to teacher to studio owner.
My journey to becoming a Principal Dancer in a major ballet company, Colorado Ballet, was filled with it’s own unique challenges. From a young age, I learned that the path to becoming an elite artistic athlete, ie “Dancer” meant an extreme amount of training, focus, dedication, time, and mental toughness. Once I became professional, the pressures of performing, as well as personal struggles with injuries and my relationship with my body, were real. They taught me a lot about patience, persistence, compassion and resilience.
I became passionate about helping other people build better relationships with their own bodies, whether adolescent students, recreational adult dancers, or seniors with limited mobilities.
After retiring from full-time performing, I continued to perform as a freelancer, while obtaining certifications in other holistic modalities, including Yoga, GYROTONIC® Method®, Reiki, and Nutrition Coaching.
Covid put a temporary end to my free-lance performing, and I dove into the world of entrepreneurship out of necessity….using my skills to help others through my coaching business and youth mentoring program.
Suddenly, I needed to add skills like marketing and web design to my toolbox…things I NEVER had any interest in. But any small business owner will share a similar story–we have to learn how how to run a business if we want to reach the people we hope to serve.
When I recently took ownership of Denver Dance Center in October 2023, I entered a whole new level of learning, from updating old systems of operations, implementing studio software, accounting, managing a staff, serving a more diverse and greater volume of customers, to the details of physically maintaining a brick and mortar space.
I’m still in the throws of the learning curve, and re-calibrating all the time.
The main thing that keeps my fire stoked is returning to my passion and purpose…to bring Dance and the Movement Arts to our community in an accessible, joyful and transformative way.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I had a friend visiting Denver for the first time, I would definitely take them to see a performance at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. This could be a musical, an opera, or a dance production…we have amazing performing arts here and Denver! For brunch, I’d take them to Snooze, lunch at the Botanic Gardens, and dinner at the Fort.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to give a shout out to all my colleagues in the Dance Community who believe Dance is a vital part of the physical, emotional, spiritual and cultural health of our society. Especially Kris Kehl, who entrusted me with carrying Denver Dance Center into the future. And beyond that, my colleagues who have made the transtion from professional dancer to studio owner, such as Alison Jaramillo, Michelle Dolighan Rhodenbeck, Rob and Chandra Kuykendall, Mark and Sandra Carlson, and Francisco Estevez. I look to them for both modeling and support as I embark on this new role.
Website: denverdancecenter.com or sharonwehner.com
Instagram: @sharonawehner or @denverdancecenter
Linkedin: Sharon Wehner
Facebook: Sharon Wehner Dance & Movement Coaching
Image Credits
David Andrews for the stage shot in the black swan tutu, Allen Birnbach for the headshot