Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Natalie Chernow- Miami’s most in demand choreographer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below:
Natalie , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
The F1 Miami Grand Prix was one of the biggest events in our city this year. Over 240,000 people attended over the weekend, and I was hired to choreograph the opening ceremony performance. Since it was the first time F1 would be in Miami, the performance was slated to be a celebration of the vibrance of our city. The only caveat…. I only had 7 days to put it together, Selecting music, picking out costumes, hiring dancers, scheduling rehearsals, choreographing, teaching and cleaning the performance. It was the greatest challenge I’ve faced as a choreographer. With that challenge, it also became the most rewarding. We only had 2 rehearsals to put the routine together, and never got a chance to step on the stage (the track in this case) until the actual performance. I could not have been more proud of the dancers- the performance looked as if we’d rehearsed it for months (as is customary for an event of this magnitude). To create a performance that celebrated the vibrance of our city to such a huge audience was one of the most meaningful projects of my career as a dancer and choreographer.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I never thought my dance journey would lead me to Miami, getting the opportunity to choreograph and dance in some of the biggest events in our city (the Superbowl, El Clasico, and F1 Miami Grand Prix). I grew up training at a studio in Colorado and started choreographing when I was 13. While in high school I danced for a nationally ranked high school team and went on to audition for a collegiate dance team at the University of Arizona. I was fortunate enough to make the collegiate dance team, and danced all four years, serving as captain for two. After I graduated with a business degree, I recognized a gap in the marketplace for the training of dancers auditioning for collegiate teams. From that passion to help dancers make collegiate teams, I started my first business, College Dance Prep in 2014. We started in one state with three employees and have since expanded to 30 states with over 40 employees. After graduating college I moved to Miami to run the Hurricanettes Dance Team at the University of Miami. I served as their head coach and choreographer for five seasons. During that time, I choreographed for the Miami HEAT dancers, the Tampa Bay Bucanneers Cheerleaders, and the Orlando Magic Dancers. In 2017, I was hired to choreograph Marc Anthony‘s halftime show for El Clasico- the first ever Real Madrid vs Barcelona match in the United States. I hired and created a Super Bowl style Halftime show with over 300 dancers. It was an incredible experience, and gave me an immense amount of confidence in my worth as a choreographer. During that time coaching the collegiate team, the Miami Dolphins would bring me in to judge auditions. It was then that I also recognized a gap in the marketplace for training dancers for professional NBA and NFL auditions. I created my second business, Pro Dance Prep, that trains dancers for professional NFL and NBA teams, and later sold it in 2022. After 5 seasons with the University of Miami, I was fortunate to move to the NFL and be hired as the coach and choreographer for the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders. I am now entering my fifth season working for the Dolphins. In addition to choreographing for the Dolphins Cheerleaders, I also had the opportunity to audition for and dance in the 2020 SuperBowl with J Lo and Shakira- definitely a bucket list item for any dancer. It was an incredible experience and one I will cherish for the rest of my life. Finally, my latest “pinch me” moment, was choreographing the opening performance for the F1 Miami Grand Prix race in May. I have been fortunate to learn and grow as a choreographer and dancer each and every year, leading with humility and gratitude every step of the way.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My mission is to provide a positive and empowering experience for dancers. Our industry can often be judgemental or intimidating, but my greatest goal is to create an atmosphere where everyone feels worthy, empowered, and supported.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being a choreographer is sharing opportunities with people I love. I (try) to model myself as a choreographer off of the show Entourage- when one person succeeds you bring your team with you. When I was hired for F1, I immediately wanted to hire dancers that have been on the journey with me, and give them the opportunity to experience such an incredible event.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.collegedanceprep.com
- Instagram: itsnattyice
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-chernow-487b50166
Image Credits
Peter McMahon Carlos Goldman Trick Productions