Styles: Acro, Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Heels, Hip Hop, Jazz, Jazz Funk, Salsa
Experience (select list):
- Popular Studios: Millennium Dance Complex (Los Angeles), Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio
- College/University: Jacksonville University, Florida State College of Jacksonville , North Carolina Central University, Spelman College
EMORY University, Salem State University , Georgia State University
Class Descriptions:
- Acro: A class that includes full body warms ups in preparation for high energy gymnastic skills/tricks (i.e. handstands, aerials, back/front walkovers and handsprings)
- Ballet: A class that covers the foundational basics of the Cecceti Style of ballet. Includes fun Barre, Centre & Across the floor exercises to enhance strength and flexibility. (Ballet Slippers or Pointe Shoes highly encouraged)
- Modern: A class that will practice warm up exercises from the Jose Limon technique with a focus on Head/Tail Connection, Fall/Recover and Contract/Release movement. Includes across the floor combos and movement to practice going in and out of the floor seamlessly and safely. (Barefoot or Socks encouraged)
- Contemporary: A class that allow artists to practice their improvisational skills, execute original choreography by Nateli Ruiz and focus on their performance quality. (Barefoot or Socks encouraged)
- Heels: Foundational warm ups and across the floor exercises that will teach artists how to properly walk in a heel and utilize performance skills in a fun sensual combination. (Heels are necessary)
- Hip Hop: A groovy filled class that starts with a warm up and focuses on all the elements of Hip Hop. Artists will practice musicality within the choreography to execute a high energy performance. (Sneakers highly encouraged)
- Jazz: A class that begins with warm ups focusing on isolations, strengthening and stretching for flexibility. Artists will practice technical skills and combinations across the floor including jumps, leaps and turns. This class also includes a sassy jazz combination with fun original choreography by Nateli Ruiz. (Jazz shoes highly encouraged)
- Jazz Funk: A funky filled class that fuses a mixture of styles such as Jazz, House & Latin styles. Artists will focus on musicality, clean pictures and lines. (sneakers and jazz sneakers highly encouraged)
- Salsa: A class that begins with a warm up practicing Salsa Latin rhythms of the drums (i.e basic, suzy q’s and more) Includes elements from New York and Puerto Rico arm styling . Focusing on movements that are on the 1 or the 2 beat. (sneakers or heels encouraged)
Nateli Ruiz went to Jacksonville University where she got a degree in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program for Dance. She has been dancing since the age of four. It all began at the Pointe Dance Academy, a Cecchetti classical ballet dance
school, in St. Croix, USVI.
Throughout her time at Jacksonville University, Nateli has received several scholarships and awards for her excellence in the Arts. She has had the opportunity to work with companies such as ABT II, David Parsons, Jennifer Muller and Rosero Mccoy. She received a scholarship to work with three time Emmy Award winning legend, Debbie Allen, owner of the prestigious dance school in Los Angeles the ‘Debbie Allen Dance Academy’. She attended the DADA Summer Intensive as a Scholar Recipient in 2008 and again as a Resident Assistant for DADA in 2016. Nateli landed a job in Orlando, FL with Debbie Allen to perform for ABC's 2010 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade as a backup dancer for Grammy Award winning musical artist Mariah Carey.
Nateli's love for teaching has brought her opportunities to teach multiple masterclasses as a guest speaking artist in residency at schools across the U.S. region. She has taught and showcased her choreography to students at colleges like the Florida State College in Jacksonville, Jacksonville University, Salem State University, North Carolina Central University, Georgia State University, Spelman College and Emory University. In 2017, Dream a World Education brought Nateli to Los Angeles, CA as a dance instructor for their newest program, 'Dance in America' where children learned about the historical values of various dance styles and context for how it is a reflection of the place and time in which people live.
Signed with the Movement Talent Agency in Los Angeles since 2017, Nateli is submitted for any upcoming auditions, tours, commercials, music videos, musicals, TV shows, films and more. Nateli has danced with ‘Iluminate’ as one of the illuminating dancing robots known from the hit show ‘America’s Got Talent’ founded by Miral Kotb. She has also traveled to Pietrasanta, Italy as an assistant choreographer for Kevin Stea at the International DAP Festival ran by artistic director Adria Ferrali in 2018. During her time in Italy, she assisted in leading workshops for DAP and was one of the featured performers in the grand gala showing at The Versiliana.
During her time at MTA, Nateli worked under top industry choreographers. Ryan Heffington, Richy Jackson, Chuck Maldonado, Nick & RJ, Kevin Stea, Leo Moctezuma, HiHat, Antoine Troupe, Michael Rooney and Charm La'Donna to name a few. She has performed live with New Zealand singer, song-writer Lorde at the ‘Glastonbury Festival’ in London and for celebrity musical artist Lady Gaga in her 2020 debut music video 'Stupid Love' and. She shot commercials for major companies like Apple & Adidas as well as danced live on ABC's 'Little Mermaid Musical Live' . You can also find her dancing on HBO's TV series 'Euphoria' featuring pop icon Zendaya.
This international commercial artist continues to perform, travel, direct and choreograph her own productions. She consistently teaches pre-professional and professional dance artists around the globe spreading her profound love for dance.