Natalie Bumgarner’s untraditional high school experience has opened the door to many opportunities with dance.

Photos by Natalie Bumgarner, Special

Alexandra Gray, Staff Writer

High school looks different for each individual student. Some spend their time focusing on clubs, while others are dedicated strictly to ensuring their resume appears perfect for college admissions. However, for senior Natalie Bumgarner, her high school career has revolved entirely around her dance career. 

Since she was a baby, Bumgarner has devoted her life to the dance world. At only 18 months old, she took her first “Mommy-and-Me” ballet class. Since her mother, Jennifer Bumgarner, was a ballet teacher herself, she has been teaching her daughter since the beginning. Experimenting with different sports only clarified to her that dance was her true passion.  

“Although I have changed what I want to do with my life multiple times, it has always revolved around being a dancer,” Natalie Bumgarner said. 

Her goals have evolved over the years. At the age of 10, her dream was to be a ballet dancer in a company. Natalie Bumgarner's aspirations are now to become a Broadway dancer in New York City. After graduating a year early, next spring, she is planning to move to New York to begin the process of auditioning for shows. Her dream is becoming a reality with help from her support system including family, friends, and teachers. Her parents’ support has made all the difference in pursuing her career. Although it may seem untraditional to some, her family trusts her to continue putting in effort to succeed. 

“We have this saying in our house; if you hold up your end of the bargain, then we'll do everything we can to support you,” Jennifer Bumgarner said. “So, as long as she's being a good human, a good student, a good sister, and a good daughter, then we are happy to do whatever we can to make as much possible as we can.” 

However, her family are not the only ones encouraging Natalie Bumgarner; her close friends are rooting for her as well. Being around her at school every day, they see the sacrifices she has made to achieve her goals. 

“I think it’s amazing that she is willing to give up a whole year of high school to move to New York to dance,”  junior Lauren Skeens, one of Natalie Bumgarner's closest friends, said. “You can just tell she really loves it by the way she talks about it and dedicates so much of her time to it.”

Dedicating her time to dance means more than just an after-school activity for Natalie Bumgarner. Since her freshman year, she has never spent an entire school day at Northview. A combination of virtual classes and in-person classes allows more available time to spend at the dance studio. To stay on top of her schedule and excel academically, she has to do her homework whenever she is not traveling to dance conventions or competitions.

“We are really lucky that she has such an incredible support system at Northview. I know not all schools have the same kind of viewpoint,” Jennifer Bumgarner said. “I think we're both really grateful that Northview has embraced who she is and what she wants to accomplish.”

With support from her teachers and friends, Natalie Bumgarner is moving to New York with many others rooting for her. Her drive and perseverance will assist her in this exciting new chapter of her life. She is grateful to be able to continue her passion, as dance is what brings her the most joy. 

“My favorite thing about dance is the ability to express how I'm feeling and get my emotions out without having to speak,” Natalie Bumgarner said. “Sometimes it can be hard to explain or even figure out for yourself how you’re feeling. But when you're able to dance, you can just let it out.”