Taking her first ballet class at age three in the small, West Australian town of Esperance, Natalie was one of those children who thrived on ballet and never looked back. She completed her vocational examinations at Perth’s Academy of Ballet and Performance, becoming an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance as well as being a candidate for Solo Seal. The daughter of a school teacher and music specialist, teaching was in her blood and she jumped at any chance to assist in teaching younger students throughout her own training.

Natalie also completed a Bachelor of Science (Human Biology) at Curtin University of Technology where she developed a fascination for dance biomechanics and injury management.

In 2006, Natalie relocated to Brisbane to study contemporary dance and choreography at Queensland University of Technology where she graduated with distinction. She worked with many well-known choreographers, both local and international, as well as choreographing and staging several of her own original works.

2010 saw her arrive in Melbourne to pursue further opportunities as a freelance dance artist and dancer for Rain and Lucky Dance Theatre. She also honed her teaching skills at several local dance schools including BDC.

After five wonderful years of instilling the love of dance in the students of BDC she took the helm as our principal in 2015.

Natalie’s true passion for dance lies in the prevention and management of injuries through teaching all her students to understand and work with their own individual anatomy. She is an advocate of finding efficient, pain-free methods for her students to achieve their goals.

“We are not dancers, we are humans who love to dance” – Miss Natalie

Qualifications:
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) with Distinction – Queensland University of Technology
Registered Teacher for the Royal Academy of Dance
Royal Academy of Dance Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies
Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance – Academy of Ballet and Performance
Bachelor of Science (Human Biology) – Curtin University of Technology

Completed the following training courses with Lisa Howell, physiotherapist and director of The Ballet Blog.

Level 1 Dance Teacher and Heath Professional Training
Level 2 Flexibility and How to Train Extreme Mobility Safely
Level 2 Pointe Intensive
Level 2 Training Turnout in Tiny Dancers
Level 3 Training Extreme Mobility in Dancers
Level 3 Foot and Ankle Injuries