A distinguished member of the ballet community, Natalie Rast is considered one of the top teachers in Chicago. Natalie’s positive style and energy are well known. She prides herself on providing a great learning environment for her students, catering to all ages and skill levels, from teens to adults, and from absolute beginners to professionals.

Like many dancers, Natalie began her study of ballet during childhood, originally in Columbus, Ohio, and later moving to Illinois. She began her professional career with the Joel Hall Dancers of Chicago. She has toured the United States and Europe, and danced on premier stages in New York as well as London, Glasgow, Belfast, Rotterdam and Bergen. She has performed with the Chicago Dance Medium and the David Pusczh Dance Company, and has studied under such recognized names as Christine and Richard Ellis, Orrin Kayan, Birute Barodicate, Anna Czujan, Homer Bryant and Anna Paskevska.

Natalie has served as Ballet Mistress for Winifred Haun & Dancers, and Zephyr Dance Theater. She was Adjunct Faculty at Columbia College from 1988-2017. In 2007, she accepted a position at the nationally renowned Chicago Academy for the Arts (CAA), and serves as Assistant Director for the Chicago Academy for the Arts Repertory Dance Company.

While very disciplined in her instruction and her focus on proper technique, Natalie also believes that ballet class should be fun, and she encourages her students without pushing. Her warm personality and supportive approach has resulted in a loyal following of Rast Ballet students, many of whom didn’t take up ballet until adulthood. She encourages her students to push themselves to their best ability.