We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Natasha Morales. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Natasha below.

Natasha, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I knew I wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally when I realized that dance was something that allowed me to give back and connect with others on a deeper level while being my most authentic self. It enabled me to inspire others in a way I had never experienced before and teach something I was incredibly passionate about.

My dance partner and I were contacted to teach and perform at a Colombian Salsa Festival in California at the end of 2019. We had spent about a year choreographing and rehearsing our routine, so we felt confident and prepared to accept the gig and attend the event.

We started by teaching a beginner Salsa Calena or Colombian salsa class, and after an hour and half, went back to our room to get ready for our performance. As we arrived back at the festival for the evening shows, we discovered that we were the closing performance in a lineup of 10 shows. My anticipation and excitement heightened, and I felt so ready and motivated to give it my all on that stage. We performed and it turned out to be one of the best shows we had done together. The energy in the room was electrifying!

Not only did I feel an overwhelming amount of love and support from the audience, but several people approached us after the show to express how much they loved it and how inspired they were. It was at that moment that I realized this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It felt like a pivotal moment in my dance career– I was hired to teach, perform, and share my passion to an amazing community. I felt a deep connection with that performance and the stage that I knew I wanted to continue creating, dancing, and sharing my dance artistry with the world.

Natasha, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born and raised in Southern California in a diverse family—half Iranian, half Mexican. Although in two different households, I was always surrounded by lots of culture, music, dance, laughter, and love. This was a huge influence in my life from the beginning, but it wasn’t until the 5th grade, when a friend invited me to her hip-hop class for “bring-a-friend” week at a local studio. I wasn’t sure at first but decided to accept her invitation to attend this dance class at Mission Viejo Dance & Performing Arts Center (Now, South Coast Conservatory).

Boom! That first hip-hop class changed my life! Jada, my hip-hop teacher, recognized me in class, and I felt seen in a way I had never experienced at 11 years old. Right after that class, I asked my mom to enroll me in dance classes at the studio, and she did it without hesitation as a single mother of two working full-time. Her sacrifices during that time began my dance journey.
I began training in hip-hop, jazz, and tap 5 times a week– I was hooked and felt so happy. I began performing and competing regularly throughout middle school and high school and won 4 national competitions and several regional competitions in the hip hop solo, trio, and team divisions. It wasn’t until I moved to the Bay Area attending San Jose State University that I was ready to try something new–Salsa and Latin dance. I remember wanting to join a dance team so I could make friends in a new place since my closest friends had always been dancers. So I did! I joined and led SJSU’s collegiate salsa team Spartan Mambo and continued training, performing, and competing in salsa for 10+ years in the Bay Area on various professional salsa teams. Throughout my years of training in California, I had always set my sights on one location to take me to the next level in my dance journey—New York City.

I moved to the big apple in Spring of 2021 and I’ve been dancing, performing, and teaching in my dream city ever since! I offer private and group dance classes, choreography, and team coaching in salsa, mambo, salsa calena (Colombian Salsa), and body movement professionally. I truly believe in sharing my years of dance experience, passion, and skill with the next generation of dancers and want to inspire others to follow their dreams. My mission is to help people learn about themselves, gain confidence, and grow through the art of dance. I want to convey to my students the idea that they can learn anything they put their mind to with passion, perseverance, hard work, and consistency.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

There are numerous ways in which the public can provide optimal support for artists. Here are a few thoughtful and helpful approaches for supporting freelance artists:

1. Monetary Support: Purchasing their products or services is crucial. It may seem obvious, but having close friends and family actively involved as your core support system is essential. I also recommend finding a core group of clients that are already supporting you monetarily and foster that group.

2. Word of Mouth: Networking is key. Share your artist’s journey with people beyond your immediate circle. For instance, if you come across someone in need of a wedding dance choreography or music video choreography, simply mentioning the artist you know who can provide that service can significantly boost their business and following.

3. Emotional Support & Understanding: Being an artist comes with good and bad days. Showing up and offering emotional support and understanding during those challenging moments is critical, especially when self-doubt sets in. Reminding the artist to take necessary breaks, recharge, and engage in activities that help them feel better can be tremendously helpful, enabling them to regain their creative drive.

4. Social Media/Website Sharing: Sharing an artist’s social media posts, website, emails, and other promotional materials costs nothing and can have a powerful impact to their business. By sharing with your network, you extend the reach of their work to a wider audience, increasing the chances of their talent being noticed by potential supporters and clients. It truly makes a difference!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the most significant lessons I had to unlearn involved transforming self-doubt into wholehearted trust in my abilities. For several years, I struggled with this throughout my dance journey. The issue became more apparent when I moved to New York and began training alongside dancers here. The caliber of these dancers were inspiring but also intimidating. Shortly after settling into the city, I began training with Karel Flores, a world-renowned salsa artist, dancer, and entrepreneur, as part of her Karel Flores NYC team.

During our rehearsals, I encountered numerous physical and mental challenges. Performing on Karel’s team had always been a dream of mine, but self-doubt resurfaced swiftly after our first show together. I wondered if my skills would suffice for the performance and if I could execute everything properly.

Overcoming self-doubt and fully trusting in my abilities became critical. I realized that I had devoted time, effort, and determination to honing my craft throughout each rehearsal. Under Karel’s direction, support, and love, I received the knowledge and skills necessary to excel on stage with trust and confidence. I learned to combat self-doubt through positive self-talk, meditative breathing, and support from my tribe. With Karel’s mentorship and the team’s encouragement, I managed to unlearn the doubts that had accumulated in my mind and I’m so grateful for that experience.

This invaluable lesson goes beyond the dance world, extending to all aspects of my life. I have gained an understanding that I possess the abilities to perform, excel, recover, and shine in various pursuits. Trusting in myself has become an essential lesson that continues to shape my journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: natashavmorales.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashavmorales/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashamorales11/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@natashavmorales
• Other: https://dancehypha.com/dancer/NYkfmNX8U4MwizMmYYULY66zgf93

Image Credits
Summit & Grand Central Photos – Matt Ritchie Main headshot & NYC Photos – Pablo Tapia Stage Shot – Creators Lab