Natalie Adams, local dance teacher, shares passion for dancing

Step into the world of dance with Natalie Adams, a passionate and dedicated dance teacher who has made it her mission to inspire others through the art of movement.
Adams discovered her love for dance from a young age, but it wasn’t without its challenges. Despite feeling like she didn’t always fit in or excel at choreography, her unwavering passion kept her going.

Hailing from Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, Adams has spent some time at the House of Israel, an African organization that would, from time to time, put on cultural presentations which would allow the youths to explore their talents in singing and dancing. Thus, Adams grew up immersed in dance culture, and realized that her true calling wasn’t to be a fantastic dancer herself, but rather to put stars on the street by teaching and imparting her knowledge to others. Her journey led her to join the National School of Dance at the age of 16. She joined Teacher Vivian Danielle’s class and simultaneously taught dance at her local church. However, she recalled that while being at Green Acres Nursery School, she started to dance, but they never entered the children’s dance competitions.

Of course, the beginning of the journey came with its challenges. “I don’t know how I used to cope at that time. But I think (that) as I grew older, like in my 20s, it was just like, hey, just get dressed, go out there, and make it happen”. Adams noted.
She nevertheless had the chance to work with her class teacher, who one day asked her to assist in making a few costumes. “To me, you know, in the mind, thinking this is nice and I could become a little big designer,” she laughed.

At that time, that was one of her achievements. Now, at 40, Adams believes that dance is all about expression and connection. She encourages her students at Joro Dance School to explore their creativity and trust their instincts; but, more so, they should try unlocking the magic that lies within them.
Seeing her students progressing and achieving their goals brings immense joy to Adams, and she continues to learn and grow alongside them. She understands and is aware that not all of them would grasp the concept at the same time, but she has still been encouraged by their consistency.
Adams’s teaching philosophy is rooted in her love for dance and her desire to share it with others. Her students’ success stands as a testament to her talent and dedication as a dance teacher, making her an inspiration in the local dance community.

When asked about her advice to aspiring dancers and teachers, Adams emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself and never giving up on dreams. She believes that everyone can be the best version of themselves, as long as they continue walking towards achieving their dreams.
“I’m going to say this: I know there’s a lot of teachers out there who will say that, ‘Oh, I brought this child to the art’. But, you as a teacher, also learn from the students. For example, you can do an improvisation session where you tell the child to improvise and use their own level of creativity, and you see that child create. You see that child create something miraculous, and is like I can put this into something…I can use this idea. So, you always allow yourself to learn from your students even while teaching. So, all that’s another factor of growing,” she detailed.
She added that no one is ever too old to learn, and we are always a work in progress.
Adams is known for her choreography skills, as she led her dancers to success by winning the Men on Mission/ Guyana Police Force ‘Flava De Stage’ Dance Competition earlier this year. In fact, she is the founder of the Joro Dance School. The group has performed at several national events, including performing at State House, and is set to represent Guyana at the Guyana Folk Festival in the USA in early 2024. This is an event that celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Guyana.
Adams is hoping to have some new dance routines to captivate the audience. As such, she and her team will be pooling their ideas to come up with some of the best-choreographed dance pieces.
One of her main focuses over the years is to have routines that are different from the others – some that suit the environment and the occasion. As such, a lot of emphasis is being placed on choreography.
“Choreography is that piece of music that no one can take from you. They have no idea what it means, and only you see that vision… As a choreographer, you don’t have to be fantastic, because a fantastic dancer is not always a fantastic choreographer,” she explained.
Adams has declared herself proud of all her achievements, both as a dancer and dance teacher.