Natalie Pelarek B.A Dance & B.A Dance Education, grew up in Western Sydney as the youngest of four children from an Iranian father & German mother. From a young age of 3 Natalie was immersed in music and movement with her dance teacher living across the road, one brother as a musician, other brother a martial artist and many lively parties held in the family home. As a Sydney-based dance enthusiast and educator, Natalie has developed an interest in inclusive arts, sociology and theatrical performance. She has invested her career in teaching & performing as an art-form and hopes to continue empowering students and audiences through her work. Natalie has been a regular artist with DirtyFeet, working across all programs including the role of an Artist Support Worker for ‘The Right Foot ‘dance program. Natalie works in special education teaching dance and has led one of her dance groups to perform at The Schools Spectacular 2019. Natalie has choreographed for the 2018 & 2019 Shining Stars program where students with disabilities from differing schools came together to attend dance workshops which lead to inaugural performances including in the Spotlight Dance Festival and Shining Stars End of Year Showcase. Natalie is a performer for Karul Projects directed by Thomas E.S Kelly. Karul Projects is a performing arts company that tells stories of Indigenous knowledge and its relevance and responsibility in modern and future Australia’s identity. With this company she has toured to Canada to perform [MIS]CONCEIVE, which premiered at the 2016 Next Wave Festival, received a Green Room Award and recently performed the 20th show at Noosa alive Festival 2019. Natalie was part of youMove Company which was a youth dance company directed by Kay Armstrong.

Kay Armstrong mentored Natalie’s work “sink or swim” which was presented for the grand finale of Short + Sweet Dance 2014 and reviewed as an “audience favourite” by Sydney Arts Guide. Her solo work debut ‘I Do’ was performed at Bankstown Arts Centre and opened for ‘Platform Shorts’ Sydney 2015. Natalie has also been mentored by Francis Rings from the ‘Bangarra Dance Company’ as part of a ‘Youth Choreographic Mentorship Program’. Recently Natalie has performed as part of Dance Bites presentation of a gutsy ensemble work by French-Australian artist Cloe Fournier called MEA CULPA, at Parramatta Riverside Theatres, and also with Karul Projects at Adelaide Fringe 2020. Natalie is a proficient school teacher working as a dance teacher at Chalmers Road School, as well as working as an assistant for Sarah-Vyne Vassallo for a Creative Learning & Leadership program at the Sydney Opera House.