Natalie Turner

Apprentice Dancer

Natalie Turner is a Peruvian American educator and dancer. She has danced all her life, originally learning salsa and merengue from her mother. Natalie studied tap, jazz and ballet throughout her childhood and early adolescence in North Carolina. She then participated in competitive cheerleading in middle and high school. After moving to Austin in 2004, she studied a variety of dances, including flamenco, samba and belly dancing. While teaching at Austin High School, she brought the joy of dance to students through her Spanish class and a lunch club where students could learn salsa dancing. She continues to infuse movement and dance in her current work as an elementary school counselor. Natalie is the vice-president of the Central Texas Bluegrass Association and can be seen dancing a jig at weekly bluegrass music events. In 2020, she discovered West African dance and has since studied with master dancer Jean-Claude Lessou. She has performed with his group, Afrique Gninze and is excited to now be part of Lannaya. Natalie is the proud mother of one 5-year-old son, who shares her love of movement, and dabbles in drumming and dance as well.

 

Instagram: @nataliemarie0077