Natasha Middleton
Artistic Director,
Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre
School Director,
Media City Dance

Newsletter: August 29 – September 12, 2018

Can you tell us a little bit about what you do?
For the past 18 years, I have been the Artistic Director of the Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre, and School Director of the Media City Dance in Burbank. I created the first professional ballet company based in Burbank, and our first performance was in my studio in Burbank on Palm Avenue, with monthly performances to enrich the community in the art of Ballet. Through my school (Media City Dance) I trained several talented young dancers to later become members of the Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre. Many productions were set using both local and international dancers. Soon after I brought the full- length ballet The Nutcracker to the Alex Theatre for 5 years. In 2003, we were invited to dance with the Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra at the Starlight Bowl. In 2010, I created another Christmas classic The Little Match Girl at the Colony Theatre, and continued to bring numerous shows to that theatre. Eventually, the Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre went on to perform at the Ford Amphitheatre for 3 seasons, the El Portal, the Wilshire Ebell, the Saban Theatre, and guest appearances for both film and television. In 2017, my ballet company collaborated with the Burbank Chamber Music Society in a performance using 6 dancers and 4 musicians. Also, in 2017 I created 2 more productions. First was the exciting and thrilling ballet Carmen, and others were Gayane and Remember Red Sunday, a dedication to the Armenian Genocide at the Alex Theatre. Presently, Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre is about the start its 2018 Southern California tour of Carmen. The school, Media City Dance, continues to train future stars as well as students of all ages and levels.

How did you first become interested in dance/choreography?
I started training in classical Russian Ballet at age 5 under the direction of my father, Andrei Tremaine. I am a third generation ballet dancer. My grandmother was with the Ballet Russes, and my father followed in his mothers footsteps, and joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. I continued the legacy by also becoming a ballerina. While I was dancing, my father created the Pacific Ballet Theatre in which I danced many roles such as the Nutcracker, Spartacus, Don Quixote and many more productions. I realized at a young age how much I enjoyed watching my father choreograph, and followed suit by starting to choreograph little dance routines. My father praised my work. Then I began directing ballets and musicals. But, I was still very busy as a dancer so needed to put choreography on hold. A few years later, I suffered a near fatal car accident that ended my ballet career. Following the accident I was able to focus on becoming a professional choreographer full time. After my father retired, I eventually took over his company Pacific Ballet Theatre and re-named it Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre. I am always working and creating…happily.

How can art enrich a community, and what are some ways people can become engaged with art in Burbank?
Art adds definition to a community. Art elevates a community to the extraordinary. I would like to see the Burbank City Council promote even more artistic programs and perhaps give more tax deductible grants so that even more people would actively engage. I would also like to see non-profit art societies gain more affordable access to city facilities, such as the Colony Theatre and the Starlight Bowl.

If you could share with our community one thing about art, what would it be?
Burbank is founded on the Arts! The film studios captured the earliest theatre and dance on black and white film. We need to continue that tradition in the community not just for large corporations

To find out more about Natasha’s work, visit https://www.pacificballetdancetheatre.com/