Natalia Bar

Natalia Bar was born in Odessa, Ukraine. She graduated Odessa Ballet Academy where she studied with Alla Ryndina, a former pupil of Vaganova. Ms. Bar was invited to join Odessa National Theater of Opera and Ballet, where she danced classical and contemporary repertoire by choreographers like Leonid Lavrovsky, Oleg Vinogradov, and Igor Tchernichov. After moving to the US, Ms. Bar established herself as a choreographer and coach in New York, where she was influenced by New York City Ballet and the works of George Balanchine, which she adopted into her teachings. She joined the faculty of the Rock School of Dance Education and was appointed their Principal Coach for International Competitions. Her students went on to win the Moscow, Jackson, and Youth America Grand Prix competitions. Ms. Bar was honored with the Outstanding Teacher Award by YAGP in 2008. Ms. Bar's students have risen through the ranks at New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Royal Danish Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, The Portland Ballet, and Oregon Ballet Theatre. Her daughter, Ellen Bar, became a soloist with New York City Ballet. Natalia Bar has also been featured in MTV's television series “Made” and in “NY Export: Opus Jazz”, which aired on PBS series Great Performances. Ms. Bar enjoys passing her knowledge and love for dance to her students and being a guest teacher for NW Dance Project.