Natalie Nayun

About

Curriculum Vitae

Performer, teacher, choreographer and arts leader. For residencies, festival teaching or performances, please get in touch.

Teaching & Residencies

  • Afsaneh Arts | Lead Instructor & Program DirectorPersian, Central Asian & Contemporary Dance · Adult classes + Danceversity youth programs (ages 5–14)
    2016–Present
  • Pomegranate Garden Dance | Founder & Lead InstructorGlobal online school, at its peak reaching students in 70+ countries · Persian, Central Asian & Middle Eastern dance traditions
    2020–Present
  • St. Olaf College | Artist Residency10-day residency · Daily technique classes, company choreography & lectures
    2024
  • Santa Fe Community College | Dance DepartmentTaught two semesters of Contemporary Dance · Santa Fe, NM
    2022
  • University of Utah | Character Dance EnsembleWeek-long teaching & creative residency + guest lecturer (online 2021, in person 2022) · Salt Lake City, UT
    2021 & 2022
  • MiraCosta College | Guest LecturerSingle-day online lecture and class · Oceanside, CA
    2020
  • Stanford University | Guest Teacher & LecturerSingle-day lecture and dance workshop · Stanford, CA
    2018
  • University of California, BerkeleyTaught two semesters of Persian and Central Asian Dance through the dance department (part of HAAS award)
    2015–2016
  • YWCA Dance DepartmentTaught Middle Eastern and Persian dance · Berkeley, CA
    2007–2020
  • Kids N Dance N Theater ArtsIn-studio, private & public schools · Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda & Lafayette, CA
    2010–2018

Guest Workshops & International Teaching

  • Workshops & intensives across the U.S. and abroadNew York, Los Angeles, Santa Fe and Seattle · Internationally in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Spain
    2005–Present

Field Research & Artist Residencies

  • Ethnographic research, performance & training residenciesTajikistan & Uzbekistan
    2015, 2017
  • LOLA & Safarbek Dance Companies | Guest ArtistDushanbe & Kulob, Tajikistan
    2015 & 2018
  • Safehouse RAW Residency
    2020
  • Safehouse Artist Residency
    2019

Company Work

  • Afsaneh Arts (501c3) | Co-Artistic Director & Program DirectorManages outreach, performance and artist coordination, programming & marketing · Directs performances & rehearsals, leads curriculum development
    2016–Present
  • Pomegranate Garden Dance | Founder & CEOBuilt and ran a global online dance school with 40+ teachers from 15+ countries · Curriculum, faculty, scholarships, outreach & finances · Now transitioning to an on-demand video library
    2020–Present
  • Sorayya Dance Company (UC Berkeley) | Executive & Artistic DirectorOversaw finances, auditions & performance production
    2014–2015, 2018

Select Performance Experience

  • Ballet Afsaneh | Co-Artistic Director & PerformerPersian, Iranian, Baluchi, Afghan, Tajik & Uzbek Folkloric & Contemporary Dance
    2011–Present
  • Canada Performance Tour with Aryana Sayeed
    2024
  • Ethnic Dance Festival | Chosen Soloist
    2020
  • LOLA & Safarbek Dance Companies | Guest ArtistDushanbe & Kulob, Tajikistan
    2015 & 2018
  • Nava Dance Collective | Principal DancerDirected by Miriam Peretz · Berkeley, CA
    2009–2018
  • Fei Tian Dance Company | DancerChinese Classical Dance · Berkeley, CA
    2014–2016
  • Beats Antique | DancerFusion, Contemporary & Middle Eastern Dance · Oakland, CA
    2009–2013

Artists Performed With

  • Aryana SayeedCanada performance tour
    2024
  • Beats AntiqueDancer
    2009–2013
  • Qais Ulfat & Shabnam SurayoFrom Kulab to Kabul tour
  • Jonibek MurodovLive Khorezm dance performance
  • Fardin Faryad · Qader Eshpari · Habib QaderiLive Afghan dance performances
  • Dashti EnsembleWith Amir Etemadzadeh, Sirvan Manhoobi & Asaf Ophir

Select Venues & Events

  • ODC TheaterSan Francisco · Contemporary Persian work with the ODC workshop company
    Nov 2026
  • Tuti Gala, San Jose CivicCelebrating Afghan arts & music
    2024
  • Grace-N-Motion, Grace CathedralContemporary Persian & Chinese dance fusion with Genevieve Hodge
    2024
  • Nowruz Gala, San Francisco City HallWith Ballet Afsaneh
    2020 & 2024
  • Multicultural Fundraising Gala, Chevron AuditoriumSupporting girls’ education in Afghanistan
    2024
  • Afghan Student Association Cultural BanquetPauley Ballroom, UC Berkeley
    2024
  • Opulent Temple Fundraiser, The Regency BallroomWhirling dance · San Francisco
  • Yerba Buena Nights · SF Movement Arts & Dance Film Festival · Oakland Dance Festival · Northern California Renaissance Faire
    2019–2020

Grants, Awards & Honors

  • Zellerbach Family Foundation Award
    2026
  • Hewlett Award | Ballet Afsaneh
    2020–2024
  • CAC Arts Grant
    2020–21
  • Ethnic Dance Festival Chosen Soloist
    2020
  • Central Asian Music & Dance Grant
    2018
  • Mask & Dagger Memorial Prize | UC Berkeley
    2016
  • HAAS Scholar for Ethnographic Dance Research
    2015–16
  • Critical Language Scholarship (CLS)
    2015
  • FLAS Fellowship | Persian language studyForeign Language & Area Studies
    2015

Training & Certifications

  • Franklin Method | Level 1 Teaching Certification
    2024
  • Comprehensive Pilates Certification
    2024
  • AXIS Dance | Axis Teacher Training (non-able/able bodies)
    2022
  • Ongoing trainingODC, Shawl-Anderson, Bandaloop
  • Dance intensivesJoe Goode, Gaga, Axis Syllabus, Countertechnique

Education

  • University of California, BerkeleyB.A. Near Eastern Studies (Islamic Civilizations & Persian Language) · Minor in Dance & Performance Studies
    2013–2016