March 29, 2025 • 39 mins
Dance with a Purpose: An Interview with Jaimee Beard
In this episode of 'Inner Workings of the Not So Genius Mind,' host Amanda McCombs chats with Jaimee Beard, a dance professional and community figure. Jamie, the titleholder of Miss Nebo Valley, discusses her career, including her journey to owning the North Point Academy of Dance and creating the 'Dance with a Purpose' platform.
The conversation touches on the challenges and joys of maintaining a dance studio, starting a business during the COVID-19 pandemic, and dealing with a celiac disease diagnosis. Jamie's commitment to living intentionally and giving back to her community, especially through her dance platform, shines through. The episode also delves into the camaraderie and support within the pageant community and personal anecdotes about dating, friendships, and navigating life's uncertainties.
00:00 Welcome and Introductions
00:40 Jamie's Background and Dance Studio
01:35 Living with Purpose
02:31 Starting the Dance Studio
03:40 Personal Challenges and Realizations
06:02 Casual Conversations and Anecdotes
12:43 Dating and Relationships
19:19 Reflecting on Relationships and Personal Growth
19:51 The Exhausting Yet Rewarding World of Pageants
20:29 Journey Through Pageantry: From High School to Miss America
22:50 The Supportive Pageant Community
26:02 Making a Difference: Community Service and Nonprofits
33:10 The Power of Social Media and Personal Expression
39:13 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:03):
Hello everyone and welcome to the InnerWorkings of the Not So Genius Mind.
I'm your host, Amanda McCombs.
Mrs. Daybreak for who knows how long,and I am here with my friend Jamie.
I. Jamie Beard and her title.
I just blanked.
Oh my gosh.
What's your title?
Miss Nebo Valley.
Miss Nebo Valley, that's right.
(00:25):
Yeah.
And she's one of our, she'sone of our single contestants.
It just means she, she's not married.
I'm on the market currently.
This is not an advertisement for Jamie.
No, but also is because we're justgonna talk all about her today.
Yeah.
She has two degrees in danceand she's the owner and CEO of
North Point Academy of Dance.
(00:46):
When she's not teaching dance, sheenjoys spending time with loved
ones, especially the little humansthat know her by the title of Ant.
Um, Jamie believes thatthe ugh, Jamie lives.
I am so bad at this today by the beliefthat everything happens for a reason.
Through her platform dancewith a purpose, she encourages
(01:09):
others to live intentionally.
I love this.
I remember hearing a tiny bit about.
Your platform, dance with a Purpose.
And I Was this before orafter you went to California?
It was probably before becausewe had that little workshop.
(01:30):
The what?
And I think, yeah, and I thinkthat's probably where you.
Tell us more about your platformand how you came up with it.
We'll just start there.
Yeah.
So I actually started in my parents'garage, which I'm in right now.
It's my, it's now my dance studio.
Oh.
Um, and so, yeah, so it's actuallythe slogan of my dance studio.
(01:51):
Um, and I chose it becausegrowing up my dad would always
tell us, walk with a purpose.
He was military and he is like,get to where you're supposed to be.
Um, and so I kind of converted that into.
To dance with a purpose.
Right.
Have goals, have that intentionbehind anything you do.
And even though my platform isdance with a purpose, it's truly
all about just living intentionally.
(02:13):
Yeah.
Whether it's through service or adifferent extracurricular activity or
anything, it's just really having thatintention and that drive towards your
goals and towards something better.
I love that.
That's so cool.
So thank you.
Long have you.
Owned your own dance studio.
(02:33):
Yeah, so it's almost been a whole year.
I actually just renewedHappy Business License.
Thank you.
I just renewed my business license for thefirst time, and that was really exciting.
So I started, I've, I'vebeen teaching for years.
I started teaching when I was in highschool as an assistant, and then I just
kind of continued from there and I, Iactually procrastinated opening my studio.
(02:57):
My mom kept saying, especiallyduring Covid, where I, you know,
the arts were kind of struggling.
Everything was shutting down.
And at the time I was working for aprofessional dance company and all
of our shows had to be canceled.
And so she was like, Jamie, this wouldbe a great time to open your studio.
And I just didn't, I procrastinatedand I think part of it was like.
(03:19):
I do really wanna get marriedand I wanna have kids.
And at the time I was just like, oh, wellmaybe I'll get married and I'll move away.
So why build something and havesomething so secure when I don't know
what's gonna happen with my life?
Yeah.
And so, um, when I kind of feltlike in the, my most rockiest point.
(03:40):
In 2023, um, I was actuallydiagnosed with celiac disease.
And with that there was a lotof realizations that, um, came
to me and I felt like, okay,I can't work a normal job.
I'm too exhausted.
I have to do certain things inorder to just keep moving forward.
(04:02):
And so I was like, Ineed to be my own boss.
And so that was when I was like, okay.
I can't wait around for Prince Charmingto come in on a white horse anymore.
Like I just have to do, do what's bestfor me and best for my community, really.
Um, there was a huge needhere in Nephi and so I did it.
So Cool.
How cool.
(04:22):
Well, and I like, I feel like when.
I was thinking about this with myhouse, like, why do we, why do we
act like we're here temporarily?
Mm-hmm.
Why are we living our lives?
Like we're not gonna be in theplace that we are for very long.
(04:43):
Yeah.
Like we're making sure that the personafter us can, doesn't have to patch up
all the holes in the walls or whatever.
Yeah.
But like, we're here now, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, so dance with a purpose andliving intentionally that just.
All that resonates with me, so, yeah.
Yeah.
And I feel like there, I feel like itresonates with everyone and some people
(05:04):
are like, dance with a per purpose.
I'm like, you don'teven have to say dance.
You can just, you cansay like, with a purpose.
Yeah.
Um, you know, you can saywhatever you're doing.
Like I love writing courses.
You can say writing horses with a purpose.
You can say.
Bedazzling with a purpose.
You know, like anything that you'redoing, anything that you're doing,
like you have an intention behind it.
(05:25):
So, yes, exactly.
You can't, like I was talkingabout that with my kids.
Um, you know, they, we ask themquestions and like, why did you do that?
And they're like, I don't know.
It's like, well, okay, we need tobreak it down, be able to answer
that question before we do this.
Right.
Lets.
(05:46):
Think first before we act.
Yes.
Because if you're just runningand you don't know what
direction you're going in Yep.
You could be go going like the total.
Yep.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Um, man, what else was I gonna ask you?
Okay, you and I were talking a second ago.
(06:07):
I'm gonna go, my catis meowing super loud.
You can't hear it on the mic,but I'm gonna go grab something
quick and go let her in.
And yeah, we're gonna talk about thecostume thing and the gifs because I
have to tell you this really funny story'cause you're single and it's kind of a
dating story and it's kinda long story.
So I'll be right back.
Hold on.
(06:27):
Yes, kitty.
Okay, I'm back.
Sorry.
You are good.
This is my, oh, hi.
She's a main Kun catand she, oh my goodness.
Doesn't like to be.
Not in the same levelof the house as Lisa.
It sounded like she was.
(06:48):
Hello.
I love that I have a pet bird andshe doesn't let me snuggle her.
And I wish that I had a cat ora dog or something that I could
just hold, hold and snuggle.
Oh, I know neighbors have a bird.
I, Jean, I bonded when wewhen they were outta town.
Yeah.
And she, she'll see me walkingmy dogs out in the grass.
(07:09):
Mm-hmm.
And I'll hear her like she can see me fromher little occasion, like her screaming.
Yeah.
I love that.
It's the best.
I just love animals.
Animals are great.
They really are.
Okay, so last year I was a Stanley.
I'll put a picture.
(07:31):
Somewhere here, Blaine, put apicture here of me and my Stanley.
You know how to do that if youdon't cut that out, if you don't
know how to do that, don't do that.
Um, so every year the contestantsgive everybody gifts and it
can be like sponsor gifts.
Mm-hmm.
I didn't really think about this, soI didn't even give anything last year.
I was like, I don't know what's going on.
(07:52):
Yeah.
So everyone this year is gonna get acute little Crown Stanley, not Stanley.
It doesn't have to be Stanley.
Yeah.
Straw topper.
Yes.
And then I am a gemstone.
'cause our state stone is the honeycomb.
Calcite.
That's my costume this year.
Mm-hmm.
(08:12):
Which I love.
I'm so excited.
I'm so excited.
And then I ended up working with agem studio to make these bracelets.
But you were telling meabout going to Lotus.
I used to go there all the time.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
As it's next to another dance studio.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
And that is where I used to teachpreschool there for like a quick minute.
(08:33):
Oh, no way.
Yeah.
My daughter went there and shewent, yeah, that's where she
started her ballet, whatever.
So she loves, yeah, she lovesdancing, she loves performing.
She well, and that's an amazing studio.
Yeah.
Just they do a great job.
They pay attention to detail there.
They do.
Okay.
When you were there, 'causeyou said you were just there
(08:53):
like around Valentine's Day.
Mm-hmm.
Did you see the Pottery Studio?
I don't think I did.
It's next door.
It used to be a furniture store.
Okay.
And it's next door to Lotus,and it's in between the Utah
Dance artists and the Uhhuh.
It used to be a furniture.
(09:16):
Okay.
They've gutted it.
It's now a place called the Clay Hole.
Okay.
It's a pottery membership place.
I have a membership there now.
Oh, awesome.
But I know the owner and so on Facebook,in one of the local groups, I saw a
post and it was, um, about the potterystudio and how there was, he was
(09:39):
gonna give like a big, huge discount.
Mm-hmm.
Um, and.
It was if you signed upfor the month of March.
'cause they just reallywanted to have a good opening.
Yeah.
And whatever.
Yeah.
And I was like, oh yeah, sure.
I did pottery back in the day and Icouldn't figure out how I knew the guy.
Mm-hmm.
Like his name sounded really familiar.
(09:59):
Um, and it's 'cause I've usuallyjust seen him over on Instagram.
Yeah.
Recently I haven't seen hisname on Facebook very much.
And so I commented on it and I waslike, yeah, I'm totally into it.
I'm gonna friend request you and um, sendyou a private message so I don't get lost.
'cause I want that code.
(10:20):
Yeah, I gotta to send him a message.
And 11 years ago I had messaged him.
Oh dear.
I've been married, I'vebeen married for 10 years.
Love it.
Did you?
Did you know you can't air basemessages that are 11 years old?
(10:43):
Even if they never opened it?
Even if they never saw it?
Oh, no.
So I have a choice.
Do I own it?
Do I just say, Hey, yo, it's me.
I'm not a creep.
Like.
I'm married and happy and whatever.
Or do I wait?
I think you owned it.
Wait for him to message me.
Oh, no, no.
(11:04):
I owned it.
I totally owned it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I, I think the first thing I said was,oh my gosh, this is so embarrassing.
'cause I was being, that wasnot like me to be super bold and
message somebody, but I was like,I think you and I would get along.
You're really nice.
Um, he had an adopted son andhe just, even after he and
his ex broke up, they like.
(11:27):
They really worked hard to be goodparents for their kid, and I was a single
mom and yada, yada, yada, yada yada.
It went to his junk, I'm sure.
'cause Yeah.
Who does that?
Yeah, I do.
Uh, anyway, so his first message backwas like, I don't know, messages, 11
years apart seems pretty obsessive to me.
(11:49):
And we chit chatted backand forth for a while and we
decided to call it the 11 year.
Hello.
But yeah, now we're friends.
I like it.
And now we message all the time andhe's like, wow, you're really cool.
And I'm like supporting himand he's supporting me and
it's just really awesome.
I'm gonna see if I can find a picture,but I mean, I think he's single.
(12:12):
He knows how to work the wheel.
He's really, really nice though.
It was really funny.
He is like, and then because you knowthe beauty pageant, I miss his daybreak.
Yeah.
Um,
he was like, are you telling me thatI could have, um, that's so funny.
Been with royalty.
(12:33):
I'm like, yeah, sucks to be you.
I mean, my life wouldn'thave gone down this way.
We were just meant to be friends.
We were meant to be.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
But dating is scary.
I don't like, dating is a lot like dating.
Yeah.
It's overwhelming.
It is.
I dated on, I met my husbandonline and I went on some
(12:55):
awful, awful, awful first dates.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's definitely somethingthat I've learned a lot from.
Mm-hmm.
Like.
I was talking to my friendthe other day, we went out to
lunch and she's a single mom.
She's been divorced twice.
Like, she just has a lot of perspectiveand I feel like when we talk, we have a
(13:21):
similar perspective where it's all likewe've been able to sit back as single
woman and kind of look at our past andlook what we've been through and be like,
oh, I'm gonna move forward differently.
Yeah, because I don't wannaexperience all that again, and that's
something that I feel very blessed.
Like even though yeah, there's timesthat I'm super sad and depressed and
(13:42):
I'm not married and that I'm not a momand like all these things, you know?
I feel like I am very blessed to havedifferent relationships in my life that I
can look at and be like, oh, I love that.
Or, Ooh, I don't love that.
Yeah.
Be able to learn from that and kind ofprepare myself so that when I do enter
a marriage and I do become a mom, thenI have kind of this backboard, this like
(14:10):
foundation for me to kind of pull from.
Yeah.
Instead of just going into itbeing like, I have no clue what I'm
doing, or I feel like, I feel likeI am very blessed to be able to.
Be in that space right now where Iam self-aware, you know, my frontal
cortex has been developed for acouple years now, where it's not
(14:32):
like what I was gonna say, like Yeah.
Where I'm like, I am able tokind of enter anything that I
do with a better understanding.
Yeah.
Well, like.
It's not that, I mean it, on the onehand, it's not necessarily that you
have more years or anything like that.
Mm-hmm.
It's, it's, you've been able to see thingsfrom a different perspective than, yeah.
(14:56):
When we were younger, like ifI married who I thought I was
gonna marry 15, 20 years ago, Iprobably would've been miserable.
Yeah, it's not what Iwould've wanted long term.
Right.
Yeah.
Well, and I was engaged once,like I planned a wedding.
I have the wedding dress hanging up in mycloset where it's all like, I would've, I
(15:18):
think I would've loved that relationship,but I think it would've been really hard.
And I like looking back, I'm like, wouldI have been trapped in that relationship
or would I have gone through a divorce?
You know, like, I just don't know.
And so I'm so, yeah.
Happy.
I've come to where I am today.
(15:38):
Like granted, like he's amazing.
I'm sure he's doing great.
Where it's like our pathsjust weren't meant to be.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's actually, I endeda relationship with a guy.
We were like getting readyto buy a house and mm-hmm.
Talking about getting marriedand I, young, single mom, new,
(15:59):
new, new little baby, and.
It wasn't even his baby.
He was just showing up for me, andI had known him for a long time
already, but then I thought aboutit and I was like, I love you and I
care about you, but I know mm-hmm.
That like, yeah, this life togetheris not what we're gonna want.
Yeah.
(16:20):
Yeah.
And it's so hard to do.
Hard.
Yeah.
Hard.
Well, and I think it's that love.
Yeah.
That you have for that personthat helps you understand, oh,
maybe this isn't gonna be okay.
Yeah.
And like the love that youhave for yourself as well.
Like, I loved my ex, like, and Istill have a type of love for him.
(16:42):
Yeah.
And I can recognize that, but it's notthat love that I would want to carry
into a marriage, if that makes sense.
That does well, and there's somany different types of love.
Like you can let people loveand care about so many D like.
There's so much space in your heart.
Yeah.
But like at the same time,yeah, we're at the same time.
Like you're getting that's Yeah.
(17:05):
How you get broken, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Feeling all the things andyou love a lot, that's when
you're gonna get hurt the most.
So Yeah.
I mean, I went into a lot ofrelationships with like one foot
in and one foot out or, mm-hmm.
Um.
I think after that one, most of thetime it was guys breaking up with
(17:26):
me or ghosting me is the worst.
Yes, I know.
I had somebody that justlike packed up their stuff.
I was at work, packedup their stuff and left.
Didn't say anything.
That's so crazy blocked and it's meon everything and it's crazy like.
Dating that's like, it's notjust dating that that happens.
(17:48):
Like I've had friends do that to me andin my business I've had students and
parents do that to me where it's all like,I think there's a, you just disappear.
Yeah.
I'm all like, can peoplejust be considerate?
No, they can't just be honest and open.
And that's, and that's honestlyone thing that I love about the
growth that I've had, is thatI've learned those boundaries.
(18:13):
And accepting.
Like I have a friend who saysthey self-identify as someone
who shouldn't be in your life.
And I'm all like, you're right.
And I should accept that and Ishould learn from that and then
build boundaries off of that.
Yeah.
Where it's all like, if that happens,like you're not welcome back.
I'm sorry.
Yeah.
(18:33):
I had, well.
I have some friends that I've had for likea really, really long time, but mm-hmm.
Because we've been friends for so long, wedon't live anywhere close to each other.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Um, we still keep in touch and wechat and stuff, but yeah, I mean,
there's a couple of 'em where.
(18:55):
Like one of 'em, she was myfriend for like 20 years and
she was there when my mom died.
My mom died not this lastAugust, but the August before.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Um, and that was kind of reallythe last time that she was around.
Really?
Yeah.
And I know like everybody goes throughtheir stuff and I know, oh yeah, she was
going through stuff too, but like I kepttrying to reach out and trying to talk.
(19:19):
Mm-hmm.
And include and loop in onwhat was going on with my life.
And it wasn't being complicated.
Yeah.
Then eventually I just waslike, okay, I guess I'm gonna
be done like two years in a row.
You didn't say happy birthday.
I, yeah.
I'm not gonna keep puttingthe energy into it.
Yeah.
It's if you don't want it.
(19:39):
Yeah.
Put that hundred percent anywhere else.
Yeah.
So, yeah.
And that doesn't mean youlove the person any, yeah.
Any less.
It's sucks.
I'm thankful.
I think that's part of why I'mreally thankful for the pageant, um.
Mm-hmm.
Even though it's a lot of hard work.
Yeah.
(20:01):
And man, I'm so exhausted.
Like we're, as of recording this, we'relike, like 10 days, just over a week.
Yeah.
10 days.
Yeah, 10 days total stage.
So.
Trying to figure out hair andmakeup and walking pattern.
(20:23):
Yeah.
And posing sunsuit and whatdress you're gonna wear and
just every, it's a lot of work.
But like
is this your first yearever doing a pageant?
No.
No, it's not.
So I actually, when I was inhigh school, I'm a small town.
And so there's, you know, thelocal city pageant and there's
(20:45):
the local county pageant.
And I did both of those.
I didn't place, which I'm glad I didn'tbecause I wasn't in the right mindset.
I was doing it for the dressesand the, you know, like I was fun.
I was doing it for just for fun, right?
Um.
But I've always hadthat love for pageants.
I mean, I was that little girl whoasked for Miss Congeniality, the
(21:05):
movie on VHS, like for Christmas.
And I got it.
Like I'm just, I love, I love all of that.
And, and so actually it was after Iended my engagement, I had joined, I had
tried out and made Senate dance team,which was Senate football, which was
like here in Utah for like three years.
(21:26):
Oh, cool.
So I was part of that danceteam and my coach actually had
just that same year won Mrs.
Utah America.
And so I had watched that pageant and Iwas like, Ooh, I could totally do that.
Like this is something that Icould, like, would want to do.
Um, and so I was kind of preparingfor it back then, uh, in 2022,
(21:51):
um, to do it the next year.
And I ended up moving to North Carolina.
It was a long, like a lifelongdream for me to move out there.
And so I did.
And so I ended up competing out there forMiss North Carolina, for America Strong.
I ended up placing second attendant.
Um, and then life happenedand I moved back to Utah.
(22:11):
And so I was like.
I kind of wanna do anotherpageant and I had aged back into
the Miss America organization.
Mm-hmm.
You know, the organizationthat everyone thinks of.
When you say pageant, you'relike, oh, that's the organization.
The one, yeah.
Um, yeah.
And so I did it.
I'm all like, Hey, I aged back intechnically 'cause they adjusted the ages.
(22:31):
I'll, I'll do it.
And I did.
And then that was kind of whenI discovered my health issues
and all the things and Yeah.
And so I. Was like, eh, I'mnot gonna do a pageant again.
And then I just focused on myself andmy studio and just working on life.
And then I actually choreographedfor that same pageant that I did
(22:55):
in the Miss America Organization.
And I was all like, 'cause Idid their opening number and
everything, and as I was there.
Um, Kaylyn.
Lippert was helping Backstage'cause I've known her for a bit.
We've kind of, yeah, she's amazing andshe's all like, you should just do it.
She's like, you should just do it.
And so I'm all like, okay, maybe I will.
(23:16):
And then a few weeks later Iwas like, okay, I'll do it.
And I called Dai and Alicia andI was like, Hey, these are the
concerns I have from the pageantsin the past that I've done.
What do you think?
And they're like, we're not that way.
And they aren't.
They're amazing.
I love like the UtahPresents program like.
They're truly great directors andthey put on an amazing pageant.
(23:38):
So I'm so excited.
So no, it's not my first pageant,but I, I am kind of treating
it like it's the pageant.
Like this is the one like to top allthe others, you know, like to kind of
heal my pageant experience, I guess.
Yeah, I think it kind ofhas like healed my, um.
(24:01):
My sisterhood, friendship,community, whatever.
There's a lot of times where likeI've needed people to show up for me
and people wouldn't show up for me.
Mm-hmm.
But like with this, I havepeople always showing up for me.
Yeah.
People cheering me on and we're not Yeah.
Cheering each other down.
We're like, no.
(24:22):
Always helping each other.
And right now I can see, like overon my screen, I can see some text
messages popping up about Yeah.
Brain tans and stuff for next week.
Like yeah, yeah.
We're helping each other.
Like it's not, it's not one,one for themselves, you know?
Yeah.
Well, and even the outgoing queens andthe formers, like, they're so helpful.
(24:45):
Like my, I was borrowingmy interview address from.
My coach, Jessica Wayland.
So she was Mrs. And I was, I was,um, borrowing it from her Uhhuh,
and I noticed there was like asnag or a stain or something, and I
was like, oh, no, like this is my,like, this is what I was gonna do.
Oh.
And so, but then, um, Chelsea,our current queen mm-hmm.
(25:11):
She had the exact same.
Outfit, right.
And so I reached out to her.
I'm all like, can I borrow it?
Like this was the outfit that Iwas really wanting for interview.
Um, and she's like, yeah.
And I, I just love it.
Like we see those messages on our GroupMeand like texts all the time that are like.
Who needs this, or I have this,or this person has, you know,
(25:33):
this contact or different things.
And I, I love it.
It's truly a sisterhood.
And it doesn't end whenthe pageant is over.
Yeah.
Like it will continue and we willbe friends for a very long time.
And even the women that I connectedwith in North Carolina, like
we're still really good friends.
We like send memes to each otherall the time over Instagram
(25:55):
where it's all like, it's just.
It's just a very healing network.
Yeah, for sure.
Well, and they're all peoplewho are like, it's, it's all
about community and service.
Mm-hmm.
And yeah.
I mean, yeah, pretty dresses andstuff is nice, but what we're
really doing is we're looking tomake a change and make an impact.
(26:20):
Yeah.
And like.
When you're in your interview, it'slike your job interview for the state.
Like you're, you're going to go torepresent your state to go on Yeah.
National pageant if you win.
Mm-hmm.
And you have to like, yeah.
Anyway, it's just, yeah.
Um, I did not think about that thefirst time that I did it because the
lady that told me about it was like.
(26:43):
She told me I should do it, andI was like, I would need a lot of
work to be in a beauty pageant.
And she said, no, you wouldn'tand send me the application.
And I kind of looked at it and she kindof made it sound like it wasn't a big
deal, but it's like, it kind of is likea, it's kind of a big deal, but it's like
the, the charity focus and the givingback part is like where my heart is.
(27:07):
Yeah.
I loved your project that you didwhere you like gathered, so thank you.
La fires happened Yeah.
Quite a while ago.
I mean, there's mm-hmm.
But there's still theaftermath of it and Yeah.
Oh yeah.
All over the state.
Yeah.
To collect different dance studio itemsto help some places get set back up.
(27:30):
'cause we don't, we don'tthink about those things going
away when there's a fire.
You don't think about like, yeah.
Grocery stores and like the lackof replenishing the supplies.
Yeah.
Tell me about that experience.
'cause I've been waiting toask until had you on here.
Yeah.
So I actually did it not asa connection to the pageant.
(27:50):
I did it more.
Yeah.
So I did it more as like.
Just, it's something that I wanted todo as a studio owner and as a teacher.
Like it was just as soon as I heard ofthat, and then on like Facebook groups,
they were saying, oh, this studioneeds this, this studio needs this.
Or these artists, um, and these,you know, actors and everything.
(28:13):
Everyone, they were kind ofaffected and we forget, you know,
we forget that they're real people.
You know?
Like I had one person who was like,are they even gonna appreciate it?
I'm like, they're human.
They're going to appreciate it.
And even if they don't like,that's on them, you know?
And so as a studio owner, I really thoughtlike, wow, like if I lost my studio or if
(28:35):
my students, like I have students who gothrough things, but I was just thinking.
Wow.
Something.
I, I wanna do somethingbecause I can't just sit.
Um, and I feel like itwas so close to home.
Um, and, and especiallyin Utah, like I grew up.
With fires all around, like I rememberone year we went to the waterpark
(28:58):
and ash was falling from the sky,you know, where it's all like it,
it was so close to my feelings.
Yeah.
Where I was like, I wanna do something.
And so it just started out aslike, Hey, I'm gonna do this.
Anyone wanna donate anything?
Um, and then I had studio ownerscontinue to reach out to me and
more and more, and I was like, oh,like this is gonna be a big deal.
(29:21):
It wasn't truly until I was pickingup the donations that I was like,
oh, like I'm gonna need more help.
Like, my studio is so small,but it was filled, like it,
there was just, it was amazing.
Wow.
And so I ended up gettinghelp from my congregation.
Um, a gentleman in mycongregation came with us.
(29:45):
Um.
He just volunteered his truck.
So we took, uh, we rented avan because we knew my van
wouldn't make it to California.
It's so old.
And so we ended up renting a vanand we filled up the van entirely.
Like all the only seats that were leftwere like the driver passenger in my
seat, and it was like overflowing.
(30:07):
And then his truck was completelyfilled and it was just, it was such
an emotional experience delivering it.
Like, I like my, a little bit ofmy heart was left with that studio.
Um, and they're still seekingdonations because they were truly
displaced, like from their studio.
(30:28):
They can't, even though theirstudio was still there, it
was still, you know, intact.
It.
They can't go back,like they can't afford.
To lease that area.
They can't, you know, like they're helpingthese students just be able to dance.
And so there's, I mean, it's March, it'sbeen three months, but they're still
(30:51):
healing from it physically, emotionally,mentally, and so it was, it's still like.
I'm still in awe of what I was able todo and what I was able to be a part of.
Um, and it wasn't just me like itreally was the dance studios throughout
Utah because my little dance studiowouldn't have collected that much.
(31:11):
Like yeah, we just really wouldn't.
I have 25 students where it's justlike these studios and our dance
community here in Utah really cametogether and it was so beautiful.
That's so cool.
And like the ripple effect,just one person saying, Hey.
Mm-hmm.
I wanna do something.
(31:32):
Yeah.
You had so many, many hands and donations.
Mm-hmm.
And I'm sure, yeah, the adventure.
Well, and not only, not only did thatone studio, like we delivered it to
them, but even there were so manydonations that they ended up sharing
with other studios who needed it.
And so it's just like, younever know what your one.
(31:54):
Action.
We'll do.
Yeah.
Well and things like this, theycan bring out the worst in people,
but I think we need to remember canbring out the good in people too.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And really connect people.
Yes, yes, yes.
Oh my gosh, I love that so much.
Oh yeah.
I know.
I wanna go back and visit them so bad.
(32:14):
Well, you should tell me, I wasjust gonna say, send me a message.
I'll put it in our shownotes and we can maybe.
Yes.
Spread the word a little bit.
'cause Yeah.
Love, we love helping.
I think I started my own little nonprofit.
I, it hasn't really gone anywhere yet.
'cause I mean, I would've done itif I, if I didn't have the pageant,
(32:38):
I would probably end up mm-hmm.
Doing all the stuffthat I'm already doing.
Yeah.
Um, the pageant just helped menavigate things and figure out how I
hundred percent, and that I'm capable.
Yep.
Um, so I started a nonprofit and I'mworking with all these other nonprofits
just to help bring awareness andyeah, educate and help help people.
(33:02):
So yeah, send me their link andwe'll put it in our show notes.
I will.
I will.
Yes.
Okay.
Tell us where we can find youif you want more followers
on any of your social media.
I love that.
Um, so I do have an Instagram,uh, I, I think it's Jamie Nicole
(33:25):
b. Oh yeah, I think it is.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
And then my studio is NorthPoint Academy of of Dance.
And that's just, just, that's just there.
And, um, I mean, following your dancestudio, I'm gonna do that, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I, and I think an importantthing to recognize is like.
(33:47):
I don't want a ton of following.
I was thinking about that the other day.
I was, I was putting alot of pressure on myself.
I'm like, oh, I'm not doingthis on Instagram, and I'm
not doing that on Instagram.
I'm like, Ooh, I need people to follow me.
And I think it just gotkind of overwhelming.
And I think it's important, atleast for me, where I'm all like,
no, I created that Instagram.
(34:09):
Like I got back on Instagram.
In 2022, so I deleted it in 2020'cause the arts were like crazy in
2020 with like Covid and all thepolitics where I was just like,
yeah, can't you deleted Instagram?
Yeah.
Um, but I ended up gettingInstagram again because it truly
(34:30):
is a way to market yourself.
Um, but my personal Instagram,I kind of made it as a way of.
Just expressing myself.
Yeah.
And I have to continue to remindmyself that that's the purpose
bet behind my personal Instagram.
Yeah.
Is that it was for me and thatit wasn't for any, well, like
people are gonna see it, right?
(34:51):
Yeah.
But it wasn't for like the likes and allthis subscription, like all that stuff.
And so, um, it's just been, Instagramhas been a healing experience too, like.
I mean, like I said before,just living intentionally.
And I think when I have an intentionbehind my social media, it has helped
(35:12):
me have a, yeah, better outlook on it.
And so I'm not feeling so overwhelmed.
And I think having that purposebehind it really relieves a
lot of anxiety and stress.
And so, um, I've had to remind myselfof that when I do feel overwhelmed,
I kind of step away from my personalInstagram, obviously, I. Have to
continue to do my business one.
(35:34):
Yeah.
But, um, but yeah, I think socialmedia can be wonderful in so many ways.
Yeah.
And I think it can be harmfulin so many ways and we just have
to recognize that difference.
Yeah.
Well, and I wanna like controlthe narrative here, like, yeah.
We're not, I hate getting allthese messages that are like, do
(35:54):
you wanna have 50,000 followers?
No.
Yeah, I don't want any of that.
But yeah, I'm like, I don't need it.
We all go through stuff.
Mm-hmm.
But we are all really, reallycool and really capable.
Yes.
And doing amazing things.
Yeah.
Though.
Yeah.
Well, and I have toremind myself of that too.
I'm like, it's okay.
For me to show these things aswell, especially with the pageant.
(36:16):
I'm like, okay.
My purpose of my personal Instagramwas just kind of for me, and I have
to remind myself it's okay to showcasewhat I'm doing in the pageant.
It's okay to showcase what I'm doing inmy life because I can still be humble, but
I can still be proud of what I'm doing.
Yeah.
And be and celebrate who I amand what I've accomplished.
(36:37):
Yeah.
Well, and I don't think.
People get, so I'm not, I'm gonnaerase not the, I don't think part,
but people get so entitled tothink that like everything that
they're viewing and taking in Yeah.
Be catered for them.
And if they don't like it Yeah.
And they get all vocal about itand they're grumpy, it's okay.
(36:57):
It's not for them.
Yeah.
They could just move on.
Yeah.
Yes.
Why are they so angry?
That isn't a you thing,that's a them thing.
Like, yeah.
Yeah.
And I feel whatever you'redoing isn't for anybody else.
It should be for you.
Yeah.
Well, and I feel that wayabout a lot of things.
Like there's, so, like I was, I followthis one, I should say like influencer
(37:21):
or whatever, and she's a member of mychurch and she kind of posts, um, like
kind of not backlash, I wouldn't saythe word backlash, but like, she's a
spitfire, so she'll be like, oh, youdon't like me because of my beliefs.
Well, then.
Don't worry about it, just like, move on.
And I'm all like, I love that.
Where it's all like, we canstill be cordial, we can
(37:44):
still love everyone mm-hmm.
Without mm-hmm.
Tearing each other down.
Yeah.
Like, it doesn't matter what you believeyour political be beliefs, your religious
beliefs, what you do for work, whatever.
Like, you can still love and youcan, like we talked about before,
we have so much love in our hearts.
Mm-hmm.
Why not give it.
Like, it's just going to addmore blood to your life if you're
(38:07):
focusing on all the negative.
Yeah.
That's not where you shouldbe putting your energy.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It, it deserves and your peacedeserves so much more than that.
Like I had some people that were trying toget all nasty and rude, but it was because
of stuff with them and it had a Yeah.
Absolutely nothing to do with me.
(38:27):
Yeah.
I think, you know, a lot of ushave that mindset of like, I
have to make everybody happy.
We're people pleasers, and when we'renot making people happy, we're like,
Ooh, that makes me uncomfortable.
But it doesn't matter.
Like, yeah, we need to be happy too.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, and our energy is so important.
(38:48):
Like, it's like we have only somuch energy to give each day,
and we need to apply that energy.
To the important parts and the positiveand just moving forward instead of
holding on to um, what people think.
(39:08):
Yes, exactly.
It matters what we think.
I love that.
Kay.
I think this is actually abeautiful time to wrap up.
What do you think?
Yeah.
Yeah, that's fine.
Let's just do it.
'cause we got a lot of work to do.
Got some bed We do and, and other things.
(39:29):
But I am so excited to seeyou in just over a week.
I know.
It's crazy.
We're gonna have the best time.
Actually, this is gonna be coming outlike right around pageant time, so Yeah.
Yeah.
Let's, I'm so excited.
Uh, take care of yourselves.
(39:49):
I you too.
Kind of crazy out there.
Yeah.
Hello everyone and welcome to the InnerWorkings of the Not So Genius Mind.
I'm your host, Amanda McCombs.
Mrs. Daybreak for who knows how long,and I am here with my friend Jamie.
I. Jamie Beard and her title.
I just blanked.
Oh my gosh.
What's your title?
Miss Nebo Valley.
Miss Nebo Valley, that's right.
(00:25):
Yeah.
And she's one of our, she'sone of our single contestants.
It just means she, she's not married.
I'm on the market currently.
This is not an advertisement for Jamie.
No, but also is because we're justgonna talk all about her today.
Yeah.
She has two degrees in danceand she's the owner and CEO of
North Point Academy of Dance.
(00:46):
When she's not teaching dance, sheenjoys spending time with loved
ones, especially the little humansthat know her by the title of Ant.
Um, Jamie believes thatthe ugh, Jamie lives.
I am so bad at this today by the beliefthat everything happens for a reason.
Through her platform dancewith a purpose, she encourages
(01:09):
others to live intentionally.
I love this.
I remember hearing a tiny bit about.
Your platform, dance with a Purpose.
And I Was this before orafter you went to California?
It was probably before becausewe had that little workshop.
(01:30):
The what?
And I think, yeah, and I thinkthat's probably where you.
Tell us more about your platformand how you came up with it.
We'll just start there.
Yeah.
So I actually started in my parents'garage, which I'm in right now.
It's my, it's now my dance studio.
Oh.
Um, and so, yeah, so it's actuallythe slogan of my dance studio.
(01:51):
Um, and I chose it becausegrowing up my dad would always
tell us, walk with a purpose.
He was military and he is like,get to where you're supposed to be.
Um, and so I kind of converted that into.
To dance with a purpose.
Right.
Have goals, have that intentionbehind anything you do.
And even though my platform isdance with a purpose, it's truly
all about just living intentionally.
(02:13):
Yeah.
Whether it's through service or adifferent extracurricular activity or
anything, it's just really having thatintention and that drive towards your
goals and towards something better.
I love that.
That's so cool.
So thank you.
Long have you.
Owned your own dance studio.
(02:33):
Yeah, so it's almost been a whole year.
I actually just renewedHappy Business License.
Thank you.
I just renewed my business license for thefirst time, and that was really exciting.
So I started, I've, I'vebeen teaching for years.
I started teaching when I was in highschool as an assistant, and then I just
kind of continued from there and I, Iactually procrastinated opening my studio.
(02:57):
My mom kept saying, especiallyduring Covid, where I, you know,
the arts were kind of struggling.
Everything was shutting down.
And at the time I was working for aprofessional dance company and all
of our shows had to be canceled.
And so she was like, Jamie, this wouldbe a great time to open your studio.
And I just didn't, I procrastinatedand I think part of it was like.
(03:19):
I do really wanna get marriedand I wanna have kids.
And at the time I was just like, oh, wellmaybe I'll get married and I'll move away.
So why build something and havesomething so secure when I don't know
what's gonna happen with my life?
Yeah.
And so, um, when I kind of feltlike in the, my most rockiest point.
(03:40):
In 2023, um, I was actuallydiagnosed with celiac disease.
And with that there was a lotof realizations that, um, came
to me and I felt like, okay,I can't work a normal job.
I'm too exhausted.
I have to do certain things inorder to just keep moving forward.
(04:02):
And so I was like, Ineed to be my own boss.
And so that was when I was like, okay.
I can't wait around for Prince Charmingto come in on a white horse anymore.
Like I just have to do, do what's bestfor me and best for my community, really.
Um, there was a huge needhere in Nephi and so I did it.
So Cool.
How cool.
(04:22):
Well, and I like, I feel like when.
I was thinking about this with myhouse, like, why do we, why do we
act like we're here temporarily?
Mm-hmm.
Why are we living our lives?
Like we're not gonna be in theplace that we are for very long.
(04:43):
Yeah.
Like we're making sure that the personafter us can, doesn't have to patch up
all the holes in the walls or whatever.
Yeah.
But like, we're here now, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, so dance with a purpose andliving intentionally that just.
All that resonates with me, so, yeah.
Yeah.
And I feel like there, I feel like itresonates with everyone and some people
(05:04):
are like, dance with a per purpose.
I'm like, you don'teven have to say dance.
You can just, you cansay like, with a purpose.
Yeah.
Um, you know, you can saywhatever you're doing.
Like I love writing courses.
You can say writing horses with a purpose.
You can say.
Bedazzling with a purpose.
You know, like anything that you'redoing, anything that you're doing,
like you have an intention behind it.
(05:25):
So, yes, exactly.
You can't, like I was talkingabout that with my kids.
Um, you know, they, we ask themquestions and like, why did you do that?
And they're like, I don't know.
It's like, well, okay, we need tobreak it down, be able to answer
that question before we do this.
Right.
Lets.
(05:46):
Think first before we act.
Yes.
Because if you're just runningand you don't know what
direction you're going in Yep.
You could be go going like the total.
Yep.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Um, man, what else was I gonna ask you?
Okay, you and I were talking a second ago.
(06:07):
I'm gonna go, my catis meowing super loud.
You can't hear it on the mic,but I'm gonna go grab something
quick and go let her in.
And yeah, we're gonna talk about thecostume thing and the gifs because I
have to tell you this really funny story'cause you're single and it's kind of a
dating story and it's kinda long story.
So I'll be right back.
Hold on.
(06:27):
Yes, kitty.
Okay, I'm back.
Sorry.
You are good.
This is my, oh, hi.
She's a main Kun catand she, oh my goodness.
Doesn't like to be.
Not in the same levelof the house as Lisa.
It sounded like she was.
(06:48):
Hello.
I love that I have a pet bird andshe doesn't let me snuggle her.
And I wish that I had a cat ora dog or something that I could
just hold, hold and snuggle.
Oh, I know neighbors have a bird.
I, Jean, I bonded when wewhen they were outta town.
Yeah.
And she, she'll see me walkingmy dogs out in the grass.
(07:09):
Mm-hmm.
And I'll hear her like she can see me fromher little occasion, like her screaming.
Yeah.
I love that.
It's the best.
I just love animals.
Animals are great.
They really are.
Okay, so last year I was a Stanley.
I'll put a picture.
(07:31):
Somewhere here, Blaine, put apicture here of me and my Stanley.
You know how to do that if youdon't cut that out, if you don't
know how to do that, don't do that.
Um, so every year the contestantsgive everybody gifts and it
can be like sponsor gifts.
Mm-hmm.
I didn't really think about this, soI didn't even give anything last year.
I was like, I don't know what's going on.
(07:52):
Yeah.
So everyone this year is gonna get acute little Crown Stanley, not Stanley.
It doesn't have to be Stanley.
Yeah.
Straw topper.
Yes.
And then I am a gemstone.
'cause our state stone is the honeycomb.
Calcite.
That's my costume this year.
Mm-hmm.
(08:12):
Which I love.
I'm so excited.
I'm so excited.
And then I ended up working with agem studio to make these bracelets.
But you were telling meabout going to Lotus.
I used to go there all the time.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
As it's next to another dance studio.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
And that is where I used to teachpreschool there for like a quick minute.
(08:33):
Oh, no way.
Yeah.
My daughter went there and shewent, yeah, that's where she
started her ballet, whatever.
So she loves, yeah, she lovesdancing, she loves performing.
She well, and that's an amazing studio.
Yeah.
Just they do a great job.
They pay attention to detail there.
They do.
Okay.
When you were there, 'causeyou said you were just there
(08:53):
like around Valentine's Day.
Mm-hmm.
Did you see the Pottery Studio?
I don't think I did.
It's next door.
It used to be a furniture store.
Okay.
And it's next door to Lotus,and it's in between the Utah
Dance artists and the Uhhuh.
It used to be a furniture.
(09:16):
Okay.
They've gutted it.
It's now a place called the Clay Hole.
Okay.
It's a pottery membership place.
I have a membership there now.
Oh, awesome.
But I know the owner and so on Facebook,in one of the local groups, I saw a
post and it was, um, about the potterystudio and how there was, he was
(09:39):
gonna give like a big, huge discount.
Mm-hmm.
Um, and.
It was if you signed upfor the month of March.
'cause they just reallywanted to have a good opening.
Yeah.
And whatever.
Yeah.
And I was like, oh yeah, sure.
I did pottery back in the day and Icouldn't figure out how I knew the guy.
Mm-hmm.
Like his name sounded really familiar.
(09:59):
Um, and it's 'cause I've usuallyjust seen him over on Instagram.
Yeah.
Recently I haven't seen hisname on Facebook very much.
And so I commented on it and I waslike, yeah, I'm totally into it.
I'm gonna friend request you and um, sendyou a private message so I don't get lost.
'cause I want that code.
(10:20):
Yeah, I gotta to send him a message.
And 11 years ago I had messaged him.
Oh dear.
I've been married, I'vebeen married for 10 years.
Love it.
Did you?
Did you know you can't air basemessages that are 11 years old?
(10:43):
Even if they never opened it?
Even if they never saw it?
Oh, no.
So I have a choice.
Do I own it?
Do I just say, Hey, yo, it's me.
I'm not a creep.
Like.
I'm married and happy and whatever.
Or do I wait?
I think you owned it.
Wait for him to message me.
Oh, no, no.
(11:04):
I owned it.
I totally owned it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I, I think the first thing I said was,oh my gosh, this is so embarrassing.
'cause I was being, that wasnot like me to be super bold and
message somebody, but I was like,I think you and I would get along.
You're really nice.
Um, he had an adopted son andhe just, even after he and
his ex broke up, they like.
(11:27):
They really worked hard to be goodparents for their kid, and I was a single
mom and yada, yada, yada, yada yada.
It went to his junk, I'm sure.
'cause Yeah.
Who does that?
Yeah, I do.
Uh, anyway, so his first message backwas like, I don't know, messages, 11
years apart seems pretty obsessive to me.
(11:49):
And we chit chatted backand forth for a while and we
decided to call it the 11 year.
Hello.
But yeah, now we're friends.
I like it.
And now we message all the time andhe's like, wow, you're really cool.
And I'm like supporting himand he's supporting me and
it's just really awesome.
I'm gonna see if I can find a picture,but I mean, I think he's single.
(12:12):
He knows how to work the wheel.
He's really, really nice though.
It was really funny.
He is like, and then because you knowthe beauty pageant, I miss his daybreak.
Yeah.
Um,
he was like, are you telling me thatI could have, um, that's so funny.
Been with royalty.
(12:33):
I'm like, yeah, sucks to be you.
I mean, my life wouldn'thave gone down this way.
We were just meant to be friends.
We were meant to be.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
But dating is scary.
I don't like, dating is a lot like dating.
Yeah.
It's overwhelming.
It is.
I dated on, I met my husbandonline and I went on some
(12:55):
awful, awful, awful first dates.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's definitely somethingthat I've learned a lot from.
Mm-hmm.
Like.
I was talking to my friendthe other day, we went out to
lunch and she's a single mom.
She's been divorced twice.
Like, she just has a lot of perspectiveand I feel like when we talk, we have a
(13:21):
similar perspective where it's all likewe've been able to sit back as single
woman and kind of look at our past andlook what we've been through and be like,
oh, I'm gonna move forward differently.
Yeah, because I don't wannaexperience all that again, and that's
something that I feel very blessed.
Like even though yeah, there's timesthat I'm super sad and depressed and
(13:42):
I'm not married and that I'm not a momand like all these things, you know?
I feel like I am very blessed to havedifferent relationships in my life that I
can look at and be like, oh, I love that.
Or, Ooh, I don't love that.
Yeah.
Be able to learn from that and kind ofprepare myself so that when I do enter
a marriage and I do become a mom, thenI have kind of this backboard, this like
(14:10):
foundation for me to kind of pull from.
Yeah.
Instead of just going into itbeing like, I have no clue what I'm
doing, or I feel like, I feel likeI am very blessed to be able to.
Be in that space right now where Iam self-aware, you know, my frontal
cortex has been developed for acouple years now, where it's not
(14:32):
like what I was gonna say, like Yeah.
Where I'm like, I am able tokind of enter anything that I
do with a better understanding.
Yeah.
Well, like.
It's not that, I mean it, on the onehand, it's not necessarily that you
have more years or anything like that.
Mm-hmm.
It's, it's, you've been able to see thingsfrom a different perspective than, yeah.
(14:56):
When we were younger, like ifI married who I thought I was
gonna marry 15, 20 years ago, Iprobably would've been miserable.
Yeah, it's not what Iwould've wanted long term.
Right.
Yeah.
Well, and I was engaged once,like I planned a wedding.
I have the wedding dress hanging up in mycloset where it's all like, I would've, I
(15:18):
think I would've loved that relationship,but I think it would've been really hard.
And I like looking back, I'm like, wouldI have been trapped in that relationship
or would I have gone through a divorce?
You know, like, I just don't know.
And so I'm so, yeah.
Happy.
I've come to where I am today.
(15:38):
Like granted, like he's amazing.
I'm sure he's doing great.
Where it's like our pathsjust weren't meant to be.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's actually, I endeda relationship with a guy.
We were like getting readyto buy a house and mm-hmm.
Talking about getting marriedand I, young, single mom, new,
(15:59):
new, new little baby, and.
It wasn't even his baby.
He was just showing up for me, andI had known him for a long time
already, but then I thought aboutit and I was like, I love you and I
care about you, but I know mm-hmm.
That like, yeah, this life togetheris not what we're gonna want.
Yeah.
(16:20):
Yeah.
And it's so hard to do.
Hard.
Yeah.
Hard.
Well, and I think it's that love.
Yeah.
That you have for that personthat helps you understand, oh,
maybe this isn't gonna be okay.
Yeah.
And like the love that youhave for yourself as well.
Like, I loved my ex, like, and Istill have a type of love for him.
(16:42):
Yeah.
And I can recognize that, but it's notthat love that I would want to carry
into a marriage, if that makes sense.
That does well, and there's somany different types of love.
Like you can let people loveand care about so many D like.
There's so much space in your heart.
Yeah.
But like at the same time,yeah, we're at the same time.
Like you're getting that's Yeah.
(17:05):
How you get broken, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Feeling all the things andyou love a lot, that's when
you're gonna get hurt the most.
So Yeah.
I mean, I went into a lot ofrelationships with like one foot
in and one foot out or, mm-hmm.
Um.
I think after that one, most of thetime it was guys breaking up with
(17:26):
me or ghosting me is the worst.
Yes, I know.
I had somebody that justlike packed up their stuff.
I was at work, packedup their stuff and left.
Didn't say anything.
That's so crazy blocked and it's meon everything and it's crazy like.
Dating that's like, it's notjust dating that that happens.
(17:48):
Like I've had friends do that to me andin my business I've had students and
parents do that to me where it's all like,I think there's a, you just disappear.
Yeah.
I'm all like, can peoplejust be considerate?
No, they can't just be honest and open.
And that's, and that's honestlyone thing that I love about the
growth that I've had, is thatI've learned those boundaries.
(18:13):
And accepting.
Like I have a friend who saysthey self-identify as someone
who shouldn't be in your life.
And I'm all like, you're right.
And I should accept that and Ishould learn from that and then
build boundaries off of that.
Yeah.
Where it's all like, if that happens,like you're not welcome back.
I'm sorry.
Yeah.
(18:33):
I had, well.
I have some friends that I've had for likea really, really long time, but mm-hmm.
Because we've been friends for so long, wedon't live anywhere close to each other.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Um, we still keep in touch and wechat and stuff, but yeah, I mean,
there's a couple of 'em where.
(18:55):
Like one of 'em, she was myfriend for like 20 years and
she was there when my mom died.
My mom died not this lastAugust, but the August before.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Um, and that was kind of reallythe last time that she was around.
Really?
Yeah.
And I know like everybody goes throughtheir stuff and I know, oh yeah, she was
going through stuff too, but like I kepttrying to reach out and trying to talk.
(19:19):
Mm-hmm.
And include and loop in onwhat was going on with my life.
And it wasn't being complicated.
Yeah.
Then eventually I just waslike, okay, I guess I'm gonna
be done like two years in a row.
You didn't say happy birthday.
I, yeah.
I'm not gonna keep puttingthe energy into it.
Yeah.
It's if you don't want it.
(19:39):
Yeah.
Put that hundred percent anywhere else.
Yeah.
So, yeah.
And that doesn't mean youlove the person any, yeah.
Any less.
It's sucks.
I'm thankful.
I think that's part of why I'mreally thankful for the pageant, um.
Mm-hmm.
Even though it's a lot of hard work.
Yeah.
(20:01):
And man, I'm so exhausted.
Like we're, as of recording this, we'relike, like 10 days, just over a week.
Yeah.
10 days.
Yeah, 10 days total stage.
So.
Trying to figure out hair andmakeup and walking pattern.
(20:23):
Yeah.
And posing sunsuit and whatdress you're gonna wear and
just every, it's a lot of work.
But like
is this your first yearever doing a pageant?
No.
No, it's not.
So I actually, when I was inhigh school, I'm a small town.
And so there's, you know, thelocal city pageant and there's
(20:45):
the local county pageant.
And I did both of those.
I didn't place, which I'm glad I didn'tbecause I wasn't in the right mindset.
I was doing it for the dressesand the, you know, like I was fun.
I was doing it for just for fun, right?
Um.
But I've always hadthat love for pageants.
I mean, I was that little girl whoasked for Miss Congeniality, the
(21:05):
movie on VHS, like for Christmas.
And I got it.
Like I'm just, I love, I love all of that.
And, and so actually it was after Iended my engagement, I had joined, I had
tried out and made Senate dance team,which was Senate football, which was
like here in Utah for like three years.
(21:26):
Oh, cool.
So I was part of that danceteam and my coach actually had
just that same year won Mrs.
Utah America.
And so I had watched that pageant and Iwas like, Ooh, I could totally do that.
Like this is something that Icould, like, would want to do.
Um, and so I was kind of preparingfor it back then, uh, in 2022,
(21:51):
um, to do it the next year.
And I ended up moving to North Carolina.
It was a long, like a lifelongdream for me to move out there.
And so I did.
And so I ended up competing out there forMiss North Carolina, for America Strong.
I ended up placing second attendant.
Um, and then life happenedand I moved back to Utah.
(22:11):
And so I was like.
I kind of wanna do anotherpageant and I had aged back into
the Miss America organization.
Mm-hmm.
You know, the organizationthat everyone thinks of.
When you say pageant, you'relike, oh, that's the organization.
The one, yeah.
Um, yeah.
And so I did it.
I'm all like, Hey, I aged back intechnically 'cause they adjusted the ages.
(22:31):
I'll, I'll do it.
And I did.
And then that was kind of whenI discovered my health issues
and all the things and Yeah.
And so I. Was like, eh, I'mnot gonna do a pageant again.
And then I just focused on myself andmy studio and just working on life.
And then I actually choreographedfor that same pageant that I did
(22:55):
in the Miss America Organization.
And I was all like, 'cause Idid their opening number and
everything, and as I was there.
Um, Kaylyn.
Lippert was helping Backstage'cause I've known her for a bit.
We've kind of, yeah, she's amazing andshe's all like, you should just do it.
She's like, you should just do it.
And so I'm all like, okay, maybe I will.
(23:16):
And then a few weeks later Iwas like, okay, I'll do it.
And I called Dai and Alicia andI was like, Hey, these are the
concerns I have from the pageantsin the past that I've done.
What do you think?
And they're like, we're not that way.
And they aren't.
They're amazing.
I love like the UtahPresents program like.
They're truly great directors andthey put on an amazing pageant.
(23:38):
So I'm so excited.
So no, it's not my first pageant,but I, I am kind of treating
it like it's the pageant.
Like this is the one like to top allthe others, you know, like to kind of
heal my pageant experience, I guess.
Yeah, I think it kind ofhas like healed my, um.
(24:01):
My sisterhood, friendship,community, whatever.
There's a lot of times where likeI've needed people to show up for me
and people wouldn't show up for me.
Mm-hmm.
But like with this, I havepeople always showing up for me.
Yeah.
People cheering me on and we're not Yeah.
Cheering each other down.
We're like, no.
(24:22):
Always helping each other.
And right now I can see, like overon my screen, I can see some text
messages popping up about Yeah.
Brain tans and stuff for next week.
Like yeah, yeah.
We're helping each other.
Like it's not, it's not one,one for themselves, you know?
Yeah.
Well, and even the outgoing queens andthe formers, like, they're so helpful.
(24:45):
Like my, I was borrowingmy interview address from.
My coach, Jessica Wayland.
So she was Mrs. And I was, I was,um, borrowing it from her Uhhuh,
and I noticed there was like asnag or a stain or something, and I
was like, oh, no, like this is my,like, this is what I was gonna do.
Oh.
And so, but then, um, Chelsea,our current queen mm-hmm.
(25:11):
She had the exact same.
Outfit, right.
And so I reached out to her.
I'm all like, can I borrow it?
Like this was the outfit that Iwas really wanting for interview.
Um, and she's like, yeah.
And I, I just love it.
Like we see those messages on our GroupMeand like texts all the time that are like.
Who needs this, or I have this,or this person has, you know,
(25:33):
this contact or different things.
And I, I love it.
It's truly a sisterhood.
And it doesn't end whenthe pageant is over.
Yeah.
Like it will continue and we willbe friends for a very long time.
And even the women that I connectedwith in North Carolina, like
we're still really good friends.
We like send memes to each otherall the time over Instagram
(25:55):
where it's all like, it's just.
It's just a very healing network.
Yeah, for sure.
Well, and they're all peoplewho are like, it's, it's all
about community and service.
Mm-hmm.
And yeah.
I mean, yeah, pretty dresses andstuff is nice, but what we're
really doing is we're looking tomake a change and make an impact.
(26:20):
Yeah.
And like.
When you're in your interview, it'slike your job interview for the state.
Like you're, you're going to go torepresent your state to go on Yeah.
National pageant if you win.
Mm-hmm.
And you have to like, yeah.
Anyway, it's just, yeah.
Um, I did not think about that thefirst time that I did it because the
lady that told me about it was like.
(26:43):
She told me I should do it, andI was like, I would need a lot of
work to be in a beauty pageant.
And she said, no, you wouldn'tand send me the application.
And I kind of looked at it and she kindof made it sound like it wasn't a big
deal, but it's like, it kind of is likea, it's kind of a big deal, but it's like
the, the charity focus and the givingback part is like where my heart is.
(27:07):
Yeah.
I loved your project that you didwhere you like gathered, so thank you.
La fires happened Yeah.
Quite a while ago.
I mean, there's mm-hmm.
But there's still theaftermath of it and Yeah.
Oh yeah.
All over the state.
Yeah.
To collect different dance studio itemsto help some places get set back up.
(27:30):
'cause we don't, we don'tthink about those things going
away when there's a fire.
You don't think about like, yeah.
Grocery stores and like the lackof replenishing the supplies.
Yeah.
Tell me about that experience.
'cause I've been waiting toask until had you on here.
Yeah.
So I actually did it not asa connection to the pageant.
(27:50):
I did it more.
Yeah.
So I did it more as like.
Just, it's something that I wanted todo as a studio owner and as a teacher.
Like it was just as soon as I heard ofthat, and then on like Facebook groups,
they were saying, oh, this studioneeds this, this studio needs this.
Or these artists, um, and these,you know, actors and everything.
(28:13):
Everyone, they were kind ofaffected and we forget, you know,
we forget that they're real people.
You know?
Like I had one person who was like,are they even gonna appreciate it?
I'm like, they're human.
They're going to appreciate it.
And even if they don't like,that's on them, you know?
And so as a studio owner, I really thoughtlike, wow, like if I lost my studio or if
(28:35):
my students, like I have students who gothrough things, but I was just thinking.
Wow.
Something.
I, I wanna do somethingbecause I can't just sit.
Um, and I feel like itwas so close to home.
Um, and, and especiallyin Utah, like I grew up.
With fires all around, like I rememberone year we went to the waterpark
(28:58):
and ash was falling from the sky,you know, where it's all like it,
it was so close to my feelings.
Yeah.
Where I was like, I wanna do something.
And so it just started out aslike, Hey, I'm gonna do this.
Anyone wanna donate anything?
Um, and then I had studio ownerscontinue to reach out to me and
more and more, and I was like, oh,like this is gonna be a big deal.
(29:21):
It wasn't truly until I was pickingup the donations that I was like,
oh, like I'm gonna need more help.
Like, my studio is so small,but it was filled, like it,
there was just, it was amazing.
Wow.
And so I ended up gettinghelp from my congregation.
Um, a gentleman in mycongregation came with us.
(29:45):
Um.
He just volunteered his truck.
So we took, uh, we rented avan because we knew my van
wouldn't make it to California.
It's so old.
And so we ended up renting a vanand we filled up the van entirely.
Like all the only seats that were leftwere like the driver passenger in my
seat, and it was like overflowing.
(30:07):
And then his truck was completelyfilled and it was just, it was such
an emotional experience delivering it.
Like, I like my, a little bit ofmy heart was left with that studio.
Um, and they're still seekingdonations because they were truly
displaced, like from their studio.
(30:28):
They can't, even though theirstudio was still there, it
was still, you know, intact.
It.
They can't go back,like they can't afford.
To lease that area.
They can't, you know, like they're helpingthese students just be able to dance.
And so there's, I mean, it's March, it'sbeen three months, but they're still
(30:51):
healing from it physically, emotionally,mentally, and so it was, it's still like.
I'm still in awe of what I was able todo and what I was able to be a part of.
Um, and it wasn't just me like itreally was the dance studios throughout
Utah because my little dance studiowouldn't have collected that much.
(31:11):
Like yeah, we just really wouldn't.
I have 25 students where it's justlike these studios and our dance
community here in Utah really cametogether and it was so beautiful.
That's so cool.
And like the ripple effect,just one person saying, Hey.
Mm-hmm.
I wanna do something.
(31:32):
Yeah.
You had so many, many hands and donations.
Mm-hmm.
And I'm sure, yeah, the adventure.
Well, and not only, not only did thatone studio, like we delivered it to
them, but even there were so manydonations that they ended up sharing
with other studios who needed it.
And so it's just like, younever know what your one.
(31:54):
Action.
We'll do.
Yeah.
Well and things like this, theycan bring out the worst in people,
but I think we need to remember canbring out the good in people too.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And really connect people.
Yes, yes, yes.
Oh my gosh, I love that so much.
Oh yeah.
I know.
I wanna go back and visit them so bad.
(32:14):
Well, you should tell me, I wasjust gonna say, send me a message.
I'll put it in our shownotes and we can maybe.
Yes.
Spread the word a little bit.
'cause Yeah.
Love, we love helping.
I think I started my own little nonprofit.
I, it hasn't really gone anywhere yet.
'cause I mean, I would've done itif I, if I didn't have the pageant,
(32:38):
I would probably end up mm-hmm.
Doing all the stuffthat I'm already doing.
Yeah.
Um, the pageant just helped menavigate things and figure out how I
hundred percent, and that I'm capable.
Yep.
Um, so I started a nonprofit and I'mworking with all these other nonprofits
just to help bring awareness andyeah, educate and help help people.
(33:02):
So yeah, send me their link andwe'll put it in our show notes.
I will.
I will.
Yes.
Okay.
Tell us where we can find youif you want more followers
on any of your social media.
I love that.
Um, so I do have an Instagram,uh, I, I think it's Jamie Nicole
(33:25):
b. Oh yeah, I think it is.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
And then my studio is NorthPoint Academy of of Dance.
And that's just, just, that's just there.
And, um, I mean, following your dancestudio, I'm gonna do that, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I, and I think an importantthing to recognize is like.
(33:47):
I don't want a ton of following.
I was thinking about that the other day.
I was, I was putting alot of pressure on myself.
I'm like, oh, I'm not doingthis on Instagram, and I'm
not doing that on Instagram.
I'm like, Ooh, I need people to follow me.
And I think it just gotkind of overwhelming.
And I think it's important, atleast for me, where I'm all like,
no, I created that Instagram.
(34:09):
Like I got back on Instagram.
In 2022, so I deleted it in 2020'cause the arts were like crazy in
2020 with like Covid and all thepolitics where I was just like,
yeah, can't you deleted Instagram?
Yeah.
Um, but I ended up gettingInstagram again because it truly
(34:30):
is a way to market yourself.
Um, but my personal Instagram,I kind of made it as a way of.
Just expressing myself.
Yeah.
And I have to continue to remindmyself that that's the purpose
bet behind my personal Instagram.
Yeah.
Is that it was for me and thatit wasn't for any, well, like
people are gonna see it, right?
(34:51):
Yeah.
But it wasn't for like the likes and allthis subscription, like all that stuff.
And so, um, it's just been, Instagramhas been a healing experience too, like.
I mean, like I said before,just living intentionally.
And I think when I have an intentionbehind my social media, it has helped
(35:12):
me have a, yeah, better outlook on it.
And so I'm not feeling so overwhelmed.
And I think having that purposebehind it really relieves a
lot of anxiety and stress.
And so, um, I've had to remind myselfof that when I do feel overwhelmed,
I kind of step away from my personalInstagram, obviously, I. Have to
continue to do my business one.
(35:34):
Yeah.
But, um, but yeah, I think socialmedia can be wonderful in so many ways.
Yeah.
And I think it can be harmfulin so many ways and we just have
to recognize that difference.
Yeah.
Well, and I wanna like controlthe narrative here, like, yeah.
We're not, I hate getting allthese messages that are like, do
(35:54):
you wanna have 50,000 followers?
No.
Yeah, I don't want any of that.
But yeah, I'm like, I don't need it.
We all go through stuff.
Mm-hmm.
But we are all really, reallycool and really capable.
Yes.
And doing amazing things.
Yeah.
Though.
Yeah.
Well, and I have toremind myself of that too.
I'm like, it's okay.
For me to show these things aswell, especially with the pageant.
(36:16):
I'm like, okay.
My purpose of my personal Instagramwas just kind of for me, and I have
to remind myself it's okay to showcasewhat I'm doing in the pageant.
It's okay to showcase what I'm doing inmy life because I can still be humble, but
I can still be proud of what I'm doing.
Yeah.
And be and celebrate who I amand what I've accomplished.
(36:37):
Yeah.
Well, and I don't think.
People get, so I'm not, I'm gonnaerase not the, I don't think part,
but people get so entitled tothink that like everything that
they're viewing and taking in Yeah.
Be catered for them.
And if they don't like it Yeah.
And they get all vocal about itand they're grumpy, it's okay.
(36:57):
It's not for them.
Yeah.
They could just move on.
Yeah.
Yes.
Why are they so angry?
That isn't a you thing,that's a them thing.
Like, yeah.
Yeah.
And I feel whatever you'redoing isn't for anybody else.
It should be for you.
Yeah.
Well, and I feel that wayabout a lot of things.
Like there's, so, like I was, I followthis one, I should say like influencer
(37:21):
or whatever, and she's a member of mychurch and she kind of posts, um, like
kind of not backlash, I wouldn't saythe word backlash, but like, she's a
spitfire, so she'll be like, oh, youdon't like me because of my beliefs.
Well, then.
Don't worry about it, just like, move on.
And I'm all like, I love that.
Where it's all like, we canstill be cordial, we can
(37:44):
still love everyone mm-hmm.
Without mm-hmm.
Tearing each other down.
Yeah.
Like, it doesn't matter what you believeyour political be beliefs, your religious
beliefs, what you do for work, whatever.
Like, you can still love and youcan, like we talked about before,
we have so much love in our hearts.
Mm-hmm.
Why not give it.
Like, it's just going to addmore blood to your life if you're
(38:07):
focusing on all the negative.
Yeah.
That's not where you shouldbe putting your energy.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It, it deserves and your peacedeserves so much more than that.
Like I had some people that were trying toget all nasty and rude, but it was because
of stuff with them and it had a Yeah.
Absolutely nothing to do with me.
(38:27):
Yeah.
I think, you know, a lot of ushave that mindset of like, I
have to make everybody happy.
We're people pleasers, and when we'renot making people happy, we're like,
Ooh, that makes me uncomfortable.
But it doesn't matter.
Like, yeah, we need to be happy too.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, and our energy is so important.
(38:48):
Like, it's like we have only somuch energy to give each day,
and we need to apply that energy.
To the important parts and the positiveand just moving forward instead of
holding on to um, what people think.
(39:08):
Yes, exactly.
It matters what we think.
I love that.
Kay.
I think this is actually abeautiful time to wrap up.
What do you think?
Yeah.
Yeah, that's fine.
Let's just do it.
'cause we got a lot of work to do.
Got some bed We do and, and other things.
(39:29):
But I am so excited to seeyou in just over a week.
I know.
It's crazy.
We're gonna have the best time.
Actually, this is gonna be coming outlike right around pageant time, so Yeah.
Yeah.
Let's, I'm so excited.
Uh, take care of yourselves.
(39:49):
I you too.
Kind of crazy out there.
Yeah.
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