Born to dance: Following the artistic steps of Pas de Vie ballet's Natalia Botha

Pas de Vie Ballet’s talented dancers step into spring with a Spotlight on Dance, led and shaped by the dance marvels of artistic director Natalia Botha.

Pas de Vie Ballet is celebrating its 35th year of guiding young artists and producing critically-acclaimed dance pieces. The Spotlight on Dance concert will be held May 18 and May 19 at Lee Hall Auditorium on FAMU's campus.

Moving the body to fuel the mind

The body in motion is a sight to be seen. It exudes power, grace, and beauty. Professional dancers add a level of awareness to that motion based on balance and the transfer of energy through space, with and against gravity.

Now imagine what a body within that body can gain from said motion and beauty. Medical research shows that music has as much of a positive influence over the fetus in the womb as dance does for the mother on the outside.

Dancing increases blood flow and lowers the blood pressure for the host as it can improve intelligence, enhance the brain’s maturity, and even boost creativity for the child. Twice in her life, such was the case for professional dancer and educator Natalia Botha.

Dance "was part of my beginning life. My mother, Gwynne Ashton, was a ballet dancer with me growing inside as I did with our daughter Seah,” recalls Botha. “I believe I felt and heard every beat of the movement while she danced it.”

Botha carried that energy throughout her career as a modern dancer and ballerina. Originating from South Africa, Botha has a worldly view of dance and movement. With her mother as a personal guide and teacher, she began her dance education at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. She recalls her early experience in awe, “I watched those dancers rehearse and perform, night after night. I adored them.”

Dance is a calling heard by some and executed by the dedicated. Botha followed this call and continued to study at the National Academy of Arts in Illinois, eventually leading to her membership with the National Ballet of Illinois. In the late 1970s, Botha joined the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) under the direction of Patrick Frantz and later Patricia Wilde, where she danced with renowned ballet dancer, and now husband, Charles Hagan.

Botha steps into life’s deep calling

Having danced the PBT repertoire multiple times as a soloist and principal dancer in classics like Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, bringing contemporary works of great artists like Alvin Alley and Agnes de Mille to life, Botha and Hagan were ready for a change. And as Botha stated, “Tallahassee beckoned us in!”

They visited her mother, who taught at Florida State University’s School of Dance, and were eventually overtaken by the capital city’s charm. They moved to Tallahassee and brought their professional experience, love of dance, and dance education to the region.

Over three decades later, Pas de Vie Ballet, the performance company and educational dance school created by Botha and Hagan, celebrates its 35th year of guiding young artists and producing critically-acclaimed dance pieces.

This arts nonprofit provides the Tallahassee community with quality performances while cultivating a thriving troupe of dancers led by Botha’s triple threat as a teacher, director, and choreographer. She looks for dancers who are “eager to work their tails off” and whose ability to listen and observe will serve them well in learning all she has to offer.

She encourages her students to be ready for anything. “You never can predict when there’s a need for a last-minute stand-in,” says Botha. “That could be the stage door opening for you! Don’t be afraid to show part of you that’s not been let out yet, no matter who’s looking.”

Botha leads with respect for the dancers she teaches and the masters who taught her and shared their wisdom throughout the years. She views herself as a bridge to pass along all she has learned in gratitude for mentorship. As a choreographer and director, Botha regards storytelling through movement as the critical element in creating engaging dance.

The art of dance relies on a deep connection to music and movement. For Botha, dance offers the freedom to access endless emotions to create countless characters that add dimension to the music. Ultimately, it all starts with the music, and dancers use their bodies to speak that story to life.

A spotlight on community

Building community in the arts goes beyond the stage. Botha is grateful to the “invaluable volunteers” who each contribute to keeping the company organized and running smoothly and to the “many quiet fairies and elves “ who sew costumes, build sets, and raise money for the organization.

Pas de Vie returns the favor with opportunities like an annual performance of "The Nutcracker" that combines young dancers with senior dancers, so participants can learn and aspire to be part of the larger magic. “We have a welcome mat, not just a dance floor,” says Botha. “The older dancers fondly become their big sisters and brothers through this time of dancing together.”

Botha, along with ballet master Charles Hagan, stage manager Scott Freese, accompanist Sue Songsiridej, and supportive volunteers, Pas de Vie is proud to present its annual "Spotlight on Dance" next weekend.

This 35-year-old tradition is a celebration of dance, combining classical staples and original choreography to create a mixed repertoire of thought-provoking and engaging dance. Botha’s wish for the audience is to leave feeling “wrapped in music of all sorts — to, very simply, be completely entertained.”

If you go

What: Spotlight on Dance presented by Pas de Vie Ballet

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 18, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 19

Where: Lee Hall Auditorium, 1601 S Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.

Cost: Tickets are $20-$25 for adults; $10-$15 for children; visit pasdevieballet.com

Contact: 850-765-1935 | info@pasdevieballet.com

Dr. Christy Rodriguez de Conte is the feature writer for the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA). COCA is the capital area’s umbrella agency for arts and culture (www.tallahasseearts.org).

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Meet Tallahassee's Pas de Vie Ballet director Natalia Botha