Five-foot-eight, Brown-eyed, Brunette, Natalie Lockwood leaps across the stage like a gazelle. 

Junior, Natalie Lockwood, a member of the Poway Dance Project, is always ready to take center stage and show off her skills.

When asked about her favorite dance experience, Lockwood recalls that “In the 2019 season, my favorite memory was when we performed our large routine and it had everyone in it. It was the only time that the entire team was on stage together,” Lockwood said. 

They Danced their hearts out together, and in the end, they ended up winning the 2019 National title. Lockwood has been busting a move for twelve years!  

Lockwood’s love of dance began at the age of four, her parents enrolled her in tap and ballet classes and that sparked her to dance and never stop. She describes her favorite part of dance to be the ability to express your emotions through movement. 

“The feeling of expressing yourself in an art form is so special that you never want to stop. I am motivated by the audience, I want them to feel captivated by my performance,” Lockwood said.  

 Lockwood explained that being a part of a team pushes her to be the best she can be. She loves that she is able to share her passion for dance with her teammates.

“Natalie is really kind and is always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone on the dance team,” freshman teammate Aisling Barry said.  

 Prior to every performance, her team huddles in a circle and encourages one another. They also like to shout out an inside joke to cheer everyone up and to help diminish nerves. This gets everyone pumped up for the performance of a lifetime.

“Along with being the wonderful dancer she is, Natalie is a strong, resilient, and a leader who is constantly there for her teammates.  Natalie bonds with everyone and is a great friend,” junior teammate Kenna Boyle said.  

Lockwood describes one of her dance highlights to be when PDP competed in the 2020 UDA national competition, in Orlando, Florida. Excitement ran through her veins when Poway Dance Project’s Varsity Jazz routine made it to finals.  “The feeling of running out through the castle, dancing our hearts out, and being live on ESPN sports was unmatched,” Lockwood said.

The 2020 UDA Nationals were even broadcast on ESPN, so even if friends and family could not be in Florida, they were able to cheer her on from the comfort of their own home. 

Natalie’s love for dancing is well rounded. She loves all kinds of dance.“I dance in a majority of styles; jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, ballet, and a few more. I like jazz because it is high energy and extremely fun to perform. Hip hop is so much fun to perform to an audience because they often engage the most,” Lockwood said. 

“Natalie always gives it her all when dancing. She is one of the most incredible people that I know. I am so glad she is on Poway Dance Project and I am so glad to know her,” junior Alina Draa said.

2020 was a year of frustration for Lockwood, but, 2021, even though it has just begun, remains a year of hope and lots of dance.

 “Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another,” American journalist Christopher Morley said.  Natalie puts her heart, soul, body (and feet) into everything she does, but dancing, most of all, is her passion.