Mehlville High School Senior, Hannah Kohler has been dancing since she was 3 years old but started dancing competitively at 6. She has devoted her whole life to dance and has spent countless hours practicing. 

Hannah explains how she continues to get better over the years. “I continue to level up by learning new skills. I always try to learn different types of legs, turns, or jumps. I also try out different styles of dance to challenge myself.” Hannah does many types of dance including jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, tap, pom, and contemporary. 

When asked why she enjoys dancing, Hannah explained “I enjoy dancing because it is a way to express all built-up feelings. It is a fun way to exercise that always makes you happier in the end.” Hannah does not plan to dance on a team in college but plans to join the dance club, Ole Miss Student Dance. Just like any athlete, preparation before a competition is essential. Hannah shares how she prepares, “Before competitions I typically listen to my dance songs on repeat while doing my makeup I go over the dances in my head. Always before I go on stage I have a superstition of going through the whole dance in my head as fast as I can. Typically I start this one number before we go on so I don’t have much time.”

Hannah is captain of the Mehlville Pantherettes Dance team and teaches how to keep a team strong. “The key to maintaining a strong team is to have a strong bond. When you know and trust your teammates that allows you to dance better as a whole. You are able to address problems happening and fix them as soon as you can.” Hannah also shares her thoughts on team dance vs studio dance, “I enjoy dancing with a team. There are so many more opportunities to show off each person’s talents.” Hannah’s favorite environment to dance in is on the national stage and her greatest dance accomplishments are placing 6th in hip hop and 7th in pom in 2022. 

In review, Senior Hannah Kohler has been dancing for most of her life and continues to get better and better. She does many styles of dance and is even a captain of the Mehlville Pantherettes Dance Team. She plans to continue to dance in college as part of a club to keep this passion for dance in her life.