NATALIE DESCH

Associate Professor

College of Fine Arts

BIO

Natalie Desch, a BFA graduate of the Juilliard School and an MFA graduate of the University of Washington, performed for five seasons with the Limón Dance Company and eleven seasons with Doug Varone and Dancers in NYC. She additionally danced in various productions at the Metropolitan Opera and other regional opera companies–Minnesota Opera, Opera Colorado, Palm Beach Opera, Longleaf Opera (NC), Lincoln Center Institute (NYC). From 2005-2012 she taught at Hunter College (City University of New York) and has also been a visiting faculty member at Weber State University (UT), University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and the Beijing Dance Academy. Additionally, she has taught for the following summer festivals: Doug Varone and Dancers, the Limón Dance Company, UNCSA, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, the Bates Dance Festival, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, and the Canadian Contemporary Dance Theater, among others. Natalie has restaged the works of José Limón, Doug Varone, Jirí Kylián, and Daniel Charon on performing groups around the world, and her choreography has been presented at venues throughout the US. In 2014 Natalie relocated to Salt Lake City, UT, and began teaching at Ballet West Academy, Westminster College, Utah Valley University, and Salt Lake Community College. Natalie joined the University of Utah’s School of Dance as an Assistant Professor in the fall of 2019.

INSTITUTIONAL APPOINTMENTS

  • Associate Professor
    College of Fine Arts1 Jul 2026 - present

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Adjunct Instructor
    Westminster College - Utah, Salt Lake City, United States1 Aug 2014 - 30 Jun 2019
  • Adjunct Instructor
    Utah Valley University, Orem, United States1 Aug 2014 - 30 Jun 2019
  • Visiting Faculty
    Weber State University, Ogden, United States1 Aug 2015 - 15 Dec 2015
  • Graduate/Teaching Assistant
    University of Washington, Seattle, United States15 Jun 2012 - 15 Jun 2014
  • Adjunct Instructor
    Hunter College, New York, United States15 Aug 2005 - 31 May 2012

DEGREES

  • BFA, Dance
    Juilliard School, New York, United States15 Aug 1992 - 20 May 1996
  • MFA, Dance
    University of Washington, Seattle, United States1 Jun 2012 - 15 Jun 2014

CERTIFICATIONS

  • Yoga 300 Hour Certification
    Yogaworks, New York City, USQ31 Aug 2008 - present