Despite his career’s physical and mentally grueling demands, Thierry Blannchard, 23, proves that when there’s a will, there’s a way. The bright and ambitious professional ballet dancer redefines what’s possible within a 24-hour day while making healthy choices.
Originally from Brazil, Thierry remembers falling in love with the practice at age nine, when he began taking contemporary and jazz classes.
“I was the only boy in the whole town dancing, so it was hard with the prejudice,” Thierry recalls. “But I wanted so badly to be a dancer. My parents were supportive and helped a lot.”
Thierry trained religiously throughout his childhood and teen years to work towards his goal of dancing abroad by studying English and piano, participating in dance competitions, training at the gym, and later earning a scholarship to the Bolshoi Ballet School of Brazil in 2019.
After working at Basileu França in Brazil, Thierry landed his first international professional ballet job at Eglevsky in New York in 2022. He was then recruited by Memphis-based Collage Dance Collective, where he has taken up residency. He enjoys many physical activities, such as yoga, running, cooking healthy meals, and going to the gym.
“Ballet is tough because it places a lot of pressure on your body. You have to be 100% every day, but as you know, humans are not built like that, so doing these other things besides ballet has helped me to relax and enjoy,” the dancer shares. “It’s a real blessing that I can have my professional life and healthy living side by side.”
Thierry typically starts his mornings with a gym session or run. He then dives straight into the workday with a two-hour ballet class from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Group rehearsals follow this until 4:30 p.m., and a weekly session with the company’s physical therapist. He ends with yoga and reflective journaling before turning in for the evening.
“As dancers, we’re really flexible, but we also have to get our bodies strong, especially the guys, for lifting the girls,” Thierry explains.
“Everything I do to stay in shape, even though I’m young, will help me in the future. Dancers have short careers,” he says. “Although dancers typically retire at 30, they often sustain knee or back injuries that prevent them from dancing again. It’s really important to stay healthy.”
The demands of his ballet career mean Thierry often travels on the road for shows. He always packs his yoga mat, foam roller, and plenty of fresh fruit and protein bars. “I like being prepared for everything,” he says.
“The greatest part of dancing is expressing a different version of myself. Every time I’m on stage, I can be whoever I want for the next hour or two. Dancing gives you this magical sense of freedom, and you can start that at any age, not just for your health but for your mind and for you as a person.”
Instagram: @thierryblannchard
By Shlomit Ovadia
Photo by Tindall Stephens
