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Community Corner

Whiz Kid: Victoria Wharff

Michael Flatley may be the Lord of the Dance, but Tori Wharff and her teammates are the Queens of the Dance at Swampscott High School.

Victoria (Tori) Wharff is wrapping up her time at with four years on the SHS Dance Team, the last three serving as one of the captains.

“I made the team as a freshman and I was elected captain as sophomore, and I served as captain as a junior as well, I’m one of the co-captains this year with my friend Alexa (Baldacci) as seniors,” Tori said.

“Dancing is great, if I’m having a bad day at school, or just in a bad mood, I dance and then I feel great,” Tori said. “Any aggravations of frustrations I have melt away when I’m dancing.”

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Wharff lives on Brooks Terrace with her mom Lisa, her dad John, and two pups, Rio, a Portuguese water dog, and Leroy, a Cockapoo, a mix of cocker spaniel and miniature poodle. Tori’s older sister Kelsey attends the University of New Hampshire and she danced at A Performing Arts Academy in Salem.

The dance team performs at Big Blue basketball games, and this spring the team will be on the field at lacrosse games to pump up the team and entertain the fans. The team also has a big show coming up at the end of May.

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“Our coach, Danielle Lannon, suggested we perform at lacrosse games, it’s kinda different performing on grass, but we’re all very excited to do it,” Tori said.

Coach Lannon was a member of the dance team when she was at Swampscott High, and was also a cheerleader for the New England Patriots.

“Danielle is great, she’s been the best coach you could ask for, when I graduate from high school, I’ll miss my family and friends for sure, and I’ll really miss Danielle and the rest of the team,” Tori said.  

Wharff is quite serious about all things dance related, working out six days a week on her own and practicing at Lannon’s Studio 21 in Swampscott.

“The only real day off I have is Sunday, that’s OK though, I enjoy it, I can’t imagine not dancing,” Tori said.

Wharff also participated in swimming and softball, but nothing gives her a thrill like getting ready to perform a dance routine with the rest of the team.

Wharff was thrilled earlier this year when she was notified she was accepted to her college of choice, the University of Tampa.

“I’m so excited about college,” Tori said. “Some of the classes I enjoy at school are math and science, and I’m taking an anatomy course at school, which is very interesting because I’m going to go into the nursing program at Tampa,” Wharff said.

“It’s been exciting for me to watch the dance team grow from where it was when I was a freshman, we love what we do, that’s for sure,” Wharff said.

The team danced for girls and boys’ basketball over the winter, and Tori is excited about performing at Big Blue lacrosse games this spring season.

“It was different performing on grass, it’s exciting, we support the team, we all get a player and make we make posters for them and really try to support the team,” Tori said.

When Tori’s not working on her dance routines or hanging out at Phillips Beach with her friends, she loves to shop, and hang out with her dogs, Rio and Leroy. Leroy was a birthday gift from her family.

Babysitting pays for her shopping sprees now, and she hopes to get a good job this summer to earn money for her move to college in Tampa.

“Swampscott’s such a nice town, a small community, a nice place to grow up,” Wharff said."Everyone knows each other and the teachers are great."

“I have school, then I babysit on Tuesday and Thursdays, then I go right to dance, so I’m pretty busy all the time,” Tori said.

“Dance helped get me through high school, it’s a whole different world, it was the best thing for me,” Tori said. 

Wharff said that no matter what mood she was in, she felt great after dancing.

“I’m looking forward to going to college, but I will miss the team, my family and my friends,” Tori said."It's sad but exciting at the same time."

There are 21 members of the Big Blue Dance Team, you can check Tori and the team out at Big Blue lacrosse games this spring.

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