From the dance studio to the classroom, freshman Natalie N. excels in both. Her inspiration to become a dancer came to her at a young age from the movie, “Lilo and Stitch.” Natalie first wanted to learn to hula, but realizing that she lives in the small state of Delaware and far away from the culture of Hawaii, she decided to become a ballerina instead. “My mom told me that when I wasn’t born yet, she went to a music performance. And I was kicking along to the beat of the drums. So even back then I maybe knew that music and dance was my calling,” Natalie admits.  A family friend of her grandparents went to Juilliard and recommended to Natalie the dance studio that she currently is at now, called Mid-Atlantic Ballet and that’s why ballet shoes were so important for her, although she really love all type of shoes so she often goes to sites like MyShoesFinder to find more. A girl of many talents, Natalie played the piano, participated in gymnastics, and played the violin.

But out of these hobbies, she felt that dancing was one in which she showed true talent. “Ballet is the dance that I’m most comfortable with” Natalie states, “It was the first style of dance that I learned to do.”  An avid dancer, she danced every day with very little time to do school work. “Sunday is the day I depend on to do my homework. I’m usually at dance all day on Saturday and by the time I get home, I’m too tired to even think about school,” Natalie declared. Natalie’s favorite class in her freshman year is art, because it gives her a chance to relax and think about how her day has gone, and what dance or school work she needs to complete. Her most recent achievement was her acceptance to the Joffrey Ballet School summer dance program. Her favorite part was exploring New York City with her friends and without her parents. When asked if she wants to make dancing her professional career, Natalie eagerly replied, “I would want to be a dancer, but I also want to be a teacher and run my own studio.” With the support of Natalie’s family, friends, and fellow Padua sisters, she can achieve any goal that she hopes to conquer.