The tears flowed on Friday night at Western Studio of Performing Arts (WSPA) Cobar concert as dance principal Angie White announced it would be her last one for the Cobar studio.
Angie began teaching Cobar students 21 years ago as part of her Nyngan-based dance business, WSPA.
With a tally of her weekly trips to Cobar (sometimes twice a week) the equivalent of travelling five times around the world, and with Cobar class sizes dwindling, Angie decided earlier this year that 2020 would be her last for WSPA Cobar.
“My husband and I have two farms, a kelpie stud and three dance studios. It is a lot.
“Unfortunately we didn’t get the support in Cobar students-wise over the last few years and it was difficult to make ends meet.
“I tried to hold out as long as I could but with all the expenses (paying five teachers, insurance, rent, electricity etc) and my family all living away from home, I decided after lots of tears and absolute sadness to close WSPA and allow myself some time to be less stressed and to get to go visit our kids some more.
“It’s the hardest decision I have ever made.”
Since the age of five, dance has been Angie’s life and she has been was thrilled to share her love of dance with students over the years.
Angie said she will take many fond memories with her including: WSPA Cobar kids participating in a Sydney concert with renowned tapper Glenn Wood, along with now leading soloist of the London Royal Ballet Steven Macrae and Tap Dog Sean Robinson; taking students to dance at Disneyland and Universal Studios in the USA and to London in the UK; having ex students in an Australia’s Got Talent grand final and two in the World Hip Hop Championships; seeing WSPA kids front stage centre at Schools Spectacular in feature roles and state ensembles; having students become teachers themselves; competing at Eisteddfods; seeing students following dance dreams at full time dance institutions; seeing a student/teacher successfully audition for an Australian musical; and seeing kids like Tom Shanahan who started out learning the technical side of productions with WSPA when he was very young and go on to create his own successful business.
“Cobar is an amazing town, I will miss that but I will miss the kids the most,” she said.
