“Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader,” Darlene Clancy recently told The Citizen.
Now a wife and mom, the former Jacksonville Jaguars Cheerleader has kept the beat blistering well after the final whistle — and is helping others discover their own passion for movement here in St. Johns County.
Born in New York City and of Puerto Rican heritage, she first moved to Jacksonville in 2000 and worked for ActionNewsJax in their promotions and public relations department.
While she adored her new job and adopted home, Clancy said her love of dance — nurtured by childhood lessons and competitions — never quite subsided after entering the corporate world.
So in 2004, with the encouragement of co-workers she resolved to audition for the ROAR of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Other candidates, Clancy noted, were appreciably younger. She was 32 at the time, and wondered if that would be a handicap when vying against dancers more than ten years her junior in some cases.
But her hard work and determination earned Clancy a spot — and she was suddenly thrust into the electric realm of professional sports entertainment.
“When I first made the team I really didn’t know anything about football,” she conceded with a laugh. “I didn’t know the rules at all. So I would just follow the crowd and react with them. If they cheered, I cheered as well.”
It didn’t take long for Clancy to realize that the position required far more than a few hours of her time on Sundays.
“I think in one season we had well over 500 appearances,” she said, referring to 2005 when Jacksonville hosted the Super Bowl. “We were out in the community, making appearances and performing at events. Sometimes 3 or 4 different places in one day. You met so many wonderful people all around the city.”
Clancy retained her position at the television station — and would often have to hurriedly change from her business attire into her cheerleading uniform.
“It was a part-time job with full-time hours,” she said. “But I loved it.”
There were strict rules of engagement at the time between cheerleaders and Jaguars players. Fraternization was strictly prohibited, Clancy said.
After three seasons with the team, Clancy and her boyfriend, Matt, decided to get married.
She left both of her gigs and would eventually settle down in St.Johns County where she lives with her husband and their two kids.
“I decided to focus on family at that point,” she said. “But I never wanted to stop dancing. That passion didn’t leave me.”
Clancy looked into several local studios, and ultimately found the right balance of rigor and warmth at DivaDance, a nationally franchised business with two local locations. They offer fun, inclusive, dance choreography classes, parties, and programs for adults.
From those with a background in dance wanting to get back in the groove to overburdened moms needing a release, Clancy said all are welcomed out on the dance floor.
She now serves as Head of Instructor Development for DivaDance Jacksonville — and says she’s thrilled to introduce others to the varied benefits of dance, both physically and mentally.
“DivaDance is all about building confidence and community. We welcome everyone to experience our array of class styles. There’s a class practically everyday of the week” she said.
Whether it’s at a sold out stadium or in front of your family and friends, Clancy said, dance can change your life.
