FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.

Natalya Z is a dancer, instructor, and choreographer based in Los Angeles & Seattle.

With a background deeply rooted in competitive Ballroom Dance, Natalya traveled the globe, competing against the best, and honed her craft under the guidance of renowned instructors for over a decade. Natalya’s artistic evolution led her to pivot out of the DanceSport industry & into the world of Heels dance, where she saw an opportunity to infuse her Ballroom Dance expertise into this emerging style.

In 2020, Natalya introduced her unique training program and movement language to the world by establishing ZTHEORY, her dance company dedicated to empowering individuals of all skill levels in the art of walking and performing in heels.

Natalya's unique approach marries dedication towards technical precision with a mindset-focused pedagogy. She believes that Heels Dance must be pioneered to be seen & respected as it’s own movement style - with it’s own foundational technique, vocabulary, & values. Most importantly, ZTHEORY prioritizes a culture of inclusivity & self-reflection that develops not only high-quality dancers - but mindful instructors, authentic choreographers, and kind people.

@natalyaz_official

CO-FOUNDER & Senior ZTHEORY Instructor

Carlie is a dancer, instructor and choreographer with over 15 years of dance experience in jazz, hip hop, ballet, modern dance and heels. She teaches heels dance at Westlake Dance Center and is the co-founder of ZTHEORY. She truly believes in the technical quality & artistic mission of ZTHEORY & is excited to see the company continue to grow.

@carliieanderson

MANAGING DIRECTOR & Senior ZTHEORY Instructor

Julia joined the ZTHEORY team in April, 2021. She grew up just south of Seattle performing & training in Musical Theater across the area. In addition to over 15 years of dance training across many styles, she holds a BA in Management & puts it to good use at ZTHEORY.

As Managing Director she works alongside Natalya to provide top tier programming to ZTHEORY students, & performance & growth opportunities to ZCO members & staff. She also manages & supports all active programming in Seattle.

As a Senior Instructor she brings a deep understanding of ZTHEORY technique & our artistic mission. Creator of Hot Girl Heels, she loves nothing more than empowering dancers to explore their creativity & confidence while building strength in their physical abilities.

Heels dance is for EVERYONE!

@juliahart1

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

After joining the ZTHEORY team in March of 2023, Kelsea has quickly become an integral part of ZTHEORY’s marketing direction, social media presence, graphic creations, photos, video editing, & our NEW website.

@studio__sundaze

Finance Manager & ZTHEORY Administrator

Natalie is from Dallas, TX and has been dancing for over 15 years. She currently performs with Coalescence Dance Company, Verlaine & McCann, & ZTHEORY. In addition to dancing, Natalie is the founder of Simple Sustainable Swap, a local home organizing business. We are lucky to have her dance skills & organizational expertise here at ZTHEORY.

@natsamp1

ZTHEORY Instructor

RJ Duquette, from New Baltimore, Michigan, first discovered his passion for dance when he moved to Seattle in the Fall of 2019. Since then, he’s trained heavily with ZTHEORY & proudly considers himself a product of the ZTHEORY training pipeline. He has gone on to perform with the Seattle-based companies such as Valtesse, Maison De V, & Purple Lemonade, as well as performing with ZTHEORY up and down the West Coast. RJ’s dedication has made him a true ZTHEORY encyclopedia, one that we are proud to have on staff.

@rj_carrier

ZTHEORY Academy Instructor

Hannah is from Anacortes, WA and grew up dancing & singing. She has performed professionally with the Can Can Culinary Cabaret, Verlain & McCann, Maison De V and A Night in Paris Cabaret in Seattle. She is honored to participate in a supportive dance community through ZTHEORY. Hannah brings a strong background of classic jazz & showgirl training to ZTHEORY & our Academy students.

@hrmooney548

ZTHEORY Foundation Instructor

Amara Gordon was raised in Tacoma, Washington. She has trained in a variety of styles including ballet, contemporary, modern, and step for over 15 years. Amara began her heels journey in 2018 & found ZTHEORY in 2021. She is thrilled to be teaching for ZTHEORY & we are so happy to have her sharing her love dance with our ZTHEORY foundation students.

@amarainmotion

ZTHEORY Foundation Instructor

Mandy Sin has been tearing up the dance floor with ZTHEORY since 2021, & she’s stoked to now be on faculty. Dance has brought her many laughs, tears, and friendship. Mandy’s dynamic training in hip-hop & other styles paired with her bright personality makes her a shining asset to ZTHEORY foundation!

@sandymin

ZTHEORY Foundation Instructor

Aliona is dancer with 12+ years of experience in hip hop, ballet, jazz funk, and contemporary. She holds a B.A. in Dance and a B.A. in Finance. She has been teaching various forms of dance for the past 3 years and is overjoyed to be joining the ZTHEORY team as an instructor. Aliona began by taking Heels class with Natalya at Westlake Dance Center. She then quickly dove into performing with ZTHEORY Company and training with ZTHEORY Academy. Aliona's start at ZTHEORY became a building block for her artistry and identity as a performer and she is ready to give back to this community that she has gained so much from.