Photo by Howard Owens
There’s no question that Rachel Blecha knows dance since she practically grew up on her toes, dancing at her mom Jody’s studio in Attica before joining the locally esteemed David DeMarie Dance Studio at age 6, later renting space for her own place in Alden before meeting up with Fusion Dance in Le Roy.
Fusion’s owner, Kristin Alquist, and Blecha joined forces and taught together at yet another well-known studio, Images in Dance, in Batavia, before Blecha, 41, decided it was time for a resurgence of her own.
“It has been the only life I’ve known since I was 2. It’s my heart, It’s always been my outlet,” Blecha said to The Batavian. “I had a stroke at 30; it’s what got me through. It’s always been an outlet; I’ve had eight years trying to figure it out …With monthly chemo and infusions. I’m now stabilized, and I am now the best I’ve ever felt, dancing and teaching, and my kids are teaching.”
Enter Resurgence Dance, located at the former Fusion Dance Studio at 110 W. Main St. in Le Roy. Blecha wanted to focus more on training lessons and less on the choreography, she said. So if a student was taking a jazz class, “we do strength training, we do all the stretching techniques,” Blecha said. “They really need to learn more about their bodies, so it prevents injuries and things like that.”
“So we focus more on the training side, and we do fewer routines,” she said. “So in the long run, it saves parents a lot of money because they’re not buying 15 costumes for 15 different dances. We just focus and do what they’re best at and then maybe two and three routines.”
She also offers a pre-professional program, which includes auditions for competitive programs.
“Pre-professional is geared for the dancer who wants to continue on in the professional world. My older daughter teaches and does choreography and plans to continue in college,” she said of her daughter Macey.
“It’s a difficult world to get into. Dance has spun completely, professionally you may go into dance team … there are thousands and thousands and thousands going for 20 spots. When we go to nationals, there are 200 of the best dancers throughout the country, competing to get in the top 20 overall.”
Auditions are a must for any dancer to be considered for the competition program and nationals. It’s a huge deal to go to nationals, which her troupe of seven students recently did — traveling to Orlando, Fla., for two weeks. The whole purpose was not just about winning as it was to learn choreography and how to compete properly, take a class and teach proper technique, she said.
“A lot of that is what I’ve learned over the years, “ she said.
Her younger daughter Preslee also dances and teaches little ones, ages 2 to 4, and Macey’s goal is to work professionally in the field and then eventually return to join her mom at Resurgence, Blecha said.
Alquist has remained to teach one night a week, and staff also includes Miranda Spyropoulos and Rachel Bieron.
Blecha created the Resurgence Dance program two years ago with what she considers to be a unique approach into the dance industry — focusing on intense dance training. She now attends various conventions and competitions nationally with her daughters and students.
It’s not the same studio that it once was — Blecha completely flipped it in 10 days, giving it a New York City vibe, she said. Her landlord, Guy Pellegrino, “has been amazing” in helping out the renovation process with a new floor and all-new electricity, which is “really nice,” she said.
She’s thankful not only for her good health but also for the support of husband Michael and her father Tim Lutey, the ones that assisted with the physical labor in the studio and day-to-day needs.
“My dad was in this with mom for years, and my husband is learning the ropes, the things that have to get moved, mats, props, things that have to get cleaned,” she said. “It definitely would not have happened if not for their support. I didn’t think my husband thought his world would be surrounded by two girls and dance.
Her classes are for dancers aged 2 to adults, and schedules run through August.
“Dance is truly an art form that we like to share with others,“ she said. “It’s a release, an outlet for a lot of kids and adults, probably the best training you can get yourself in. Overall, this program is a vision I had several years ago. With Kristin approaching me, I thought, this is the right time. My focus is different: to show kids, get them prepared for the dance world, or for them to just have fun.”
She plans to have a couple of open houses in August. Details will be on her website at resurgencedance.com
There will be an audition for any dancer interested in competitive dancing on Monday. Times will be from 6 to 7 p.m. for ages 5 to 10 and from 7 to 8:30 p.m. for ages 11 and older.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Photo by Howard Owens
