Natalya Janay Shoaf is a visionary and storyteller who believes that movement is a stepping stone for self-discovery.

Natalya was born and raised in North Hollywood, CA now calls the Bay Area her home. She began choreographing at the age of 9, submitting her first works into her school’s talent show. She then went on to join her schools drill team for the next two years, before asking her mom to receive formal dance lessons. She received her formative training at Burbank Dance Biz, under the direction of Saundra Gerstmeyer, where she studied ballet, pointe, hip-hop, gymnastics, tap, acting, & singing. While training at Burbank Dance Biz she simultaneously ran track & field and began training for marathons. By the age of 13, Natalya had ran 2 LA Marathons.  After Burbank Dance Biz’s closure she joined Patsy Metzger Dancers, where she enhanced her tap, jazz, and tumblings skills. While training with Patsy, she came to a fork in the road — where she needed to choose between track & field or dancing. She ultimately chose dancing and began to seek out more rigorous ballet training. After a short search she joined Media City Dance, where she trained six days a week in Russian Classical Ballet, under the direction of Natasha Middleton. She joined the studios company at the age of 16, upon returning from the Bolshoi Ballet Summer Intensive. During her last year of High School, Natalya attended the Los Angeles County High School of the Arts (LAHCSA), under the direction of Gina Buntz, where she performed works by Yuri Killian and was the lead in La Bayadere.  She received training from the late Don Martin and Wendy Lawson, as well as Fiona Lumus. From her studies at LACHSA she was encouraged and supported to pursue dance in college.

Natalya attended the Alonzo King LINES BFA program at Dominican University and graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. While in attendance she was trained under Gregory P. Dawson, Christian Burns, Maurya Kerr, and many more. Within university her choreographic voice and individual artistry was developed exponentially. She submitted her senior thesis into the Black Choreographers Festival and was accepted! Her piece “lackless” premiered in San Francisco, and went on to perform in Oakland and premiered for a second time at the LINES BFA showcase. Since graduation Shoaf’s choreography has been present by the Oakland Ballet Company, LINES BFA & Summer Intensive, Oakland School for the Arts, LEVY Dance, Chopshop: Bodies of Work, and many more. Her recent work entitled “Handprints” was featured in Alex Ketley’s latest work and was critically acclaimed by the SF Chronicle. 

Natalya has had the opportunity to be an educator at the LINES Summer program, Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, Oakland School for the Arts, Performing Arts Workshop, Dance Mission Theatre, and Poise Ballet. Through out her many years of teaching she has built a teaching philosophy that feel true to her. Her students always develop stronger technique and imitable artistry under her tutelage. As a dancer Natalya has worked with many Bay Area artist including Robert Moses’s Kin, Flyaway Productions, dawson dance| SF, the foundry, and many more. She has also had the fortunate opportunity to build herself as a soloist through her own movment compositions. Her personal work usually expresses themes of journey, resilience, and faith.  

As the Artistic Director/Choreographer of Ja’LUUM she uses movement to help her dancers access their authentic selves by creating a process-based environment that prioritizes artistic progression over perfection. Her teen company explores similar themes of journey, resilience and transformation — and most importantly sisterhood. 

Natalya is inspired by truth and the process of uncovering it. Her work will always center authenticity, presence, connection to breath (spirit), and moving from within.