Dance is YC woman's life

Amanda Blanchard's first dancing memory: She's 3 years old and running around in ballet class with ribbons.

"Dance is my soul mate," she said. "In so many ways, it's what I live for."

Now Blanchard is 22. The Yuba City resident graduated in May from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles with a bachelor's degree in dance. She said she practiced six to 10 hours a day.

"It's a challenge," she said. "But my passion just grows once I get it."

Blanchard was the backstage manager and a performer at Jacque's Dance Expressions Diamond Anniversary Show last weekend at the Marysville Community Auditorium. She helped coordinate the recital with more than 450 dancers.

Jacque Dake, owner of Jacque's Dance Expressions, said Blanchard has been an assistant at the dance recital for three years and danced at her studio for eight years.

"She's a huge asset," Jacque said of Blanchard during the show. "It wouldn't run as smooth without her."

Blanchard didn't smile while dancing until she took jazz classes with Jacque, she said. She has blossomed as a dancer with nurturing from many dance instructors in the community and now has a "perma-grin."

Anneliese, Amanda's mother, said she enrolled her daughter in dance because she thought it would be a good activity. The 3-year-old Amanda was scared, but she didn't cry when her mother left her.

"I liked it once I got the pretty pink costume with the sparkles," Amanda said.

When Blanchard did a solo on stage

during her freshman year at Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts, Anneliese said she knew her daughter was a dancer.

"It's exciting to see my daughter on stage," the mother said. "She definitely comes alive when she gets out there."

Amanda "lived" at the dance studios while growing up in Yuba City, staying after class to watch while other children practiced. She leaped her way up to assistant teaching in ballet when she was 10 years old. When she was 15, she started substitute teaching at the studio.

She said she was shy, but through dance she learned to communicate better with movement and speech.

"Dance has given me a way to not be shy," Blanchard said.

Dakota Delaney, 10, a performer at the dance recital, said she aspires to dance with the energy and balance that Blanchard possesses.

"Her dance moves are really cool," Dakota said of Blanchard's kicks and spins as Dakota waited to go on stage June 28.

Blanchard took off her headset and danced on stage at the recitial in black tights and a black T-shirt with "Staff" written in bold white letters on the back.

She said it was amazing performing with children and teens whom she used to teach. She shook her brown curly hair, smiled and snapped to the beat of the music.

"It's a family for me," she said. "It's a big emotional connection to be here."

Blanchard has lots of ideas on what she'll do next.

"Part of me wants to come and take over Northern California and get creative dance in schools," Blanchard said.

She also wants to open a dance company, writing and choreographing shows to perform here and in other cities.

Blanchard said she doesn't think anything could make her happier than staying in Yuba City to teach dance classes at Jacque's.

"I hope that I can make an impact on dance the way it's made an impact on me," she said.

Contact Appeal reporter Katy Sweeny at 749-4708 or ksweeny@appeal-democrat.com