Amanda Thompson Jaquez

Amanda has more than a decade of experience working in the local government and arts sectors designing ways to engage the public and decision makers in conversations about how we live together, and then implementing a shared vision. As an urban planner and choreographer, she facilitates change in the physical environment and cultural expression of communities to co-create vibrant, sustainable cities. She currently is the Director of the Community Redevelopment Agency in Clearwater, FL where she lives with her husband and son.

Amanda’s journey with Zoetic began when she responded to an audition ad in Creative Loafing in 2003. As fate would have it, she was brought on to fill in for Melanie during the birth of her first child and stayed for twelve years. Starting as a dancer, she grew to teach, choreograph and serve as board chair for Zoetic as well as many unofficial roles like housing provider, set delivery and life coach that are all a part of working in a small, non-profit organization. She played a key role in Zoetic’s transition from a concert dance company towards site specific work and increasing integration of dance theater into the choreography. You can learn more about her approach to artistic collaboration here:

https://burnaway.org/feature/our-front-porch-collaboration-and-the-making-of-zoetics-undone/

Her last production under the Zoetic banner was the production of danceDanceDANCE!, an immersive event in Decatur, Georgia that filled a local street, vacant storefronts and lots with all kinds of dance and installations of what an arts district could look like. Amanda served as the in-house choreographer for Dad’s Garage Theater from 2009-2015, which gave her the opportunity to choreograph silly musicals and comedy web series. She continues to pursue opportunities to create dances for trained and untrained bodies that bring joy and reveal how humans relate to one another. One day she will write a book on the history of Zoetic and all the amazing women (and a few men) that made it happen. #zoeticforever