Article originally appeared in Voyage Dallas.
Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalia Maravi. Natalia, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far. I’ve always loved dancing, whether it be in the club or on the stands of a football game cheering my brother on who was a drum major. But it wasn’t until the age of 26 that I finally took my first dance class. Growing up, we couldn’t afford dance classes or for me to be on any dance teams at school. And when I turned 19, I had my baby boy so I spent my 20’s raising him and getting my bachelor’s degree. Then, I reached a point where I wanted to start getting active but I knew I could never commit to the gym. So, over time, my boyfriend encouraged and convinced me to take some dance classes so I could get a workout but also because he knew how much I loved dancing. Let me tell you, being the oldest gal in the room and feeling like the least coordinated is a super vulnerable spot to be in. Despite that feeling, I pushed through and kept attending classes. About one year later, I discovered DivaDance Austin. I checked out a class and fell in love. Everything about it was great. I felt welcomed, they played Beyonce regularly, and my confidence really began to grow.
