Skills: Tribal Style Bellydance, Aerial silks, Fire eating, Fire sword, Fire fans, Stilts, Character Work, Flute (classical & medieval), Ukelele, Vocals

Bio: Born in Frankfurt, Germany to American parents, Natalie Brown grew up studying classical music and ballet as she traveled the world with her military family. Natalie graduated from Irmo High School, where she was a flautist with the world-class Irmo Symphonic Winds. She went on to get a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Tulane University, lived abroad in London where she picked up swing dancing, and settled in New Orleans as a freelance fine arts journalist with Gambit Weekly Magazine. She met her spiritual match, however, when she stumbled upon a tribal style bellydance class in New Orleans in 2004. Natalie quickly became engrossed with the artform. After fleeing hurricane Katrina, Natalie found herself starting over in Columbia, SC. Reeling from the storm and struggling to find her footing in a different culture, she endeavored to make her own fun and keep the spirit of New Orleans arts rolling. She formed Delirium Tribal Bellydance Company in April of 2006. Under her artistic direction, Delirium Tribal quickly became a respected member of the southeast U.S. bellydance community.

Natalie, as a solo artist and at the helm of her company, became known for clean technique and regal, elegant performances. The company also became known for experimental and ground-breaking choreographies that explored storylines, theatrics, collaborations and partnering work, and expanded the limits of bellydance. Inspired by the alternative circus movement coming out of the west coast, Natalie founded Alternacirque in August of 2007. Alternacirque has experienced rapid growth and great success, pulling large audiences and successfully producing underground cabaret and circus arts shows and festivals. Natalie was the recipient of the South Carolina Arts Commission’s Artist Ventures Initiative grant, was instrumental in getting a busking ordinance passed into law, and is currently working on founding Columbia Fringe Festival. She also designs costumes for herself, her circus, and other performers. She’s picked up music again, and can often be seen playing various flutes, a ukelele, and singing with The Day Late and Dollar Shortkestra. She is honored to perform as a musician and dancer with Istanpitta Early Music Ensemble in Houston.

In late 2013, Natalie shuttered Alternacirque and moved to Boulder, CO to further her study with transnational dance professional Donna Mejia and Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance Studio.

Tags

See All Tags (7)