Amanda Cleghorn



	story HEATHER BRISSENDEN photographs STEVE UHRANEY "Who's that girl?" That was the thought that crossed the minds of millions of viewers, from coast to coast, when Amanda Cleghorn (Mississauga’s star dancer) appeared on So You Think You Can Dance Canada (SYTYCDC). Lovers of dance took special note as the bombshell stole hearts while she shimmied and sashayed across the stage through season three of SYTYCDC. With a stunningly svelte physique and cascading chestnut brown hair, Amanda was a vision to watch as she channeled her passion for dance into every piece of choreography she performed. Whether doing lifts or jumps, partner work, or salsa moves, Amanda brought joy to everyone who tuned in. Branded “Leggy Cleggy” the 19-year-old beauty demonstrated her mastery of dance styles including jazz, contemporary, modern and hip-hop. She danced perfect routines under the enormous pressure of performing in front of a live audience along with judges and experts. There was also the pressure of appearing in a television production that would be seen by millions. I spoke to Amanda at The Studio of Performing Dance Arts in Woodbridge, Ontario - the place where so many of her dreams were born. Coming in second place behind ballroom/contemporary dancer Denys Drozdyuk, Amanda was happy to chat about the positive aspects of her life-changing experience. First and foremost, she got wheels to go with her fetching gams. She won a new Mazda 2. There was also a cash prize to put some gas in the tank. “I was just so happy to have been on the show,” she explained with her bright eyes and warm smile. “It was amazing to have the experience and to win the car and the cash prize! The car definitely helps me get around to auditions and dance classes.” The Cawthra Park Secondary School graduate originally auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance Canada on a whim. After making the finals, she was excited to dance on the show hosted by former MuchMusic VJ Leah Miller. Filmed in Toronto, the show featured Mississauga superstar dancer Blake McGrath, who appeared with fellow judges and dance experts Jean Marc Genereux, Tré Armstrong and Luther Brown. Season three of SYTYCDC began with an audition tour that travelled to five cities across the country including Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. For Amanda, the audition on a whim turned out to be the career break of a lifetime. “Every time I performed I was nervous. The excitement and the nerves helped me to go beyond my expectations and the whole experience taught me to trust myself through it. While going through this experience, I really had the voice inside me that said ‘you can do it.’” Now that Amanda’s talent is being recognized on a larger scale, those who have known Amanda all along are happy to witness her success. Her dance teacher Danny Poland has seen her growth as a dancer through the years while teaching her at The Studio of Performing Dance Arts. He explains, “I attribute Amanda’s success to her positive attitude. She’s got a very strong work ethic. Her perseverance and dedication is what makes her such a successful dancer. She’s such a wonderful girl. We’re all very proud of what she’s accomplished and we know she will do amazing things with her talent.” So what’s next for Cleghorn? While cooling down after our photo shoot, she gushed, “I want to do everything! I want to become a triple threat - a great singer, an actor and a dancer. I’m currently auditioning and gaining experience in the dance world. I would love to move to New York City one day, but for now I’m taking things step by step (no pun intended) and getting myself organized. I want to do it all one day - Broadway, music videos, acting, dancing, movies, everything!” “Anything is possible. Go with your heart and go with your gut. No matter what anyone says you can do anything you want as long as you work towards your goal.” she said. For video clips of Amanda Cleghorn in action, do a Search on YouTube.com GL