Profile: Natalie

My Name is Natalie Roberts. I grew up in the farming community of Philadelphia, just outside of Cape Town. After I had completed my Grade 12 I travelled to North America in 1998, to Camp Ohio just outside of Cincinati where I taught horse back riding and presented other camp activities to the summer camp children. After arriving back in Cape Town in 1999, and having always loved dancing from a young age, I decided to pursue a career in dance at Jazzart Dance Theatre. I started out doing evening classes and later auditioned for Jazzart’s three year Young Adult training and Job Creation programme. At first I was not accepted into the programme, but came to an agreement with the artistic director that I could participate in the course at my own expense. After three years of hard work and commitment I was accepted into the Professional Company in 2002. My training consisted of instruction in contemporary dance, tap, gumboot, rhythm, contact work as well as practical experience in performance, both artistic and commercial, teaching within the community both urban and rural, public speaking, lecture demonstrations, musical theatre, open-air performances, and tailored corporate performances. In 2004 I was invited, alongside four other Jazzart dancers, by Cirque du Soleil to perform at the opening of the Oxfam International Youth Parliament in Sydney, Australia in collaboration with artists from Chile, France, Canada and Australia. This is where I met Orlando Vargas from the Circo del Mundo group in Chile. In 2005, as a Company member and a representative of Jazzart Dance Theatre I flew to Chile where I taught dance to marginalised children from the suburb Cerro Navia in Santiago. This is also where I started my training in circus work with Circo del Mundo. Upon returning to Cape Town with Orlando in January 2006, I decided to resign from Jazzart Dance Theatre. I was confident that Orlando and I had gained enough experience in dance, circus and teaching during our careers to work independently. The freedom that comes with being a freelance artist opens up new opportunities, stimulates fresh ideas and strengthens our bonds working together as team. In 2006 till the end of June 2007 I was employed at the Zip Zap circus school as a Performing Artist and a teacher. In February 2007 till January 2008, Orlando and I were employed at the Madame Zingara Theatre of Dreams. Upon completion of our contract at Madam Zingara in Febraury 2008 we continued freelancing and developing our skills and aesthetic. With the creation of our company, SircuSenergy, a new journey begins for us.