Meet Natalie Higgins, a quirky second-year psychology major and dance minor from Whittier, CA who’s been dancing since the age of three.
Her Campus: What is your favorite thing about Cal Poly/ SLO?
You mean despite its amazing weather? My favorite thing here would have to be the possibilities. They’re endless! I can go for an amazing hike practically anywhere, bike downtown afterward, and then finish up with a sunset walk on the beach! Also, Cal Poly has so much to offer in the way of volunteering, adventures and craft projects (I made s surfboard last year!)
HC: What would you say to a first-year?
If I could say anything to the freshmen, it would be exactly what my WOW leaders (S/O to Leland and Tess!) told me: try everything (within reason). Your cool aunt isn’t kidding when she says that college is the time to discover yourself. Go surfing, register for that backpacking trip with Poly Escapes, walk to Slo Do Co at 3 a.m., and dance your heart away at The Grad. Make it a goal to do things that scare you and SHAKE HANDS! One of the most important things I learned in my first year was to relax and be myself. I would often get caught up in my own head about what other people might be thinking about me, how awkward I seemed, or what I was wearing. I tried to fit in or fulfill some sort of stereotype, which didn’t make much sense because I’ve always been someone who drums to their own beat. I can now safely say that all efforts of fitting in were thrown out the door and I wear my “MC Hammer pants” on campus with pride.
HC: Why did you choose Cal Poly?
To be honest, the only thing I knew about Cal Poly when I applied was that some family went here and it was four hours away from home. After receiving my acceptance however, I decided to plan a trip up with my current roommate and take a closer look. I fell in love with the school in five minutes and, by the end of the day, I knew I was going here. A year later, I think I chose Cal Poly because of the culture. Both on and off campus. People look out for one another and do what they can to help. SLO is a community that I love being a part of.
HC: Tell us about your experience with Orchesis.
As a freshman with an interest in dance, I immediately registered for multiple dance classes and the minor. My only question was whether or not I should audition for Orchesis. I decided against it, worried about filling my plate too full during first year, but continued to get my feet wet by taking some classes and pursuing the minor. When auditions rolled around for my second year at Cal Poly, I immediately signed up and auditioned. For those who are unfamiliar, Orchesis is a dance company within Cal Poly that features around 20-30 dancers per year and holds performances every winter quarter. Members of the company take classes from faculty and guest artists, rehearse extensively on weekends, and can be selected to choreograph student pieces. In essence, we’re a diverse group of individuals who are passionate about dance and wish to share that passion in any way we can.
(Want to see Orchesis in action? Here are their upcoming performances, held in Spanos Theater: January 23, 8pm; January 24, 2pm & 8pm; January 29- 31, 8pm. Tickets sold here).
HC: What is a quote that resonates with you?
“I believe the universe wants to be noticed. I think the universe is improbably biased toward consciousness, that it rewards, intelligence in part because the universe enjoys its elegance being observed. And who am I, living in the middle of history, to tell the universe that it- or my observation of it- is temporary?” -John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
HC: What is your favorite song?
My favorite song of all time is most definitely “Smile” by Charlie Chaplin. I think this became my favorite song at an early age because my mother would hum and sing it around the house a lot and therefore became something we shared together. It also holds a beautiful message about picking yourself up and looking at life in a positive light.
HC: Do you have a favorite performance?
Yeah! My favorite dance performance would have to be our “Thriller” piece that closed our annual show. We got really into it with costumes, make-up and performance. Our choreographer also imbedded little opportunities for improv which was a lot of fun. Did I mention that it was a tap piece? So yeah, imagine advanced tapping to “Thriller” in wigs and makeup while putting on your best zombie performance with all of your friends. It was a good time.
HC: When did you start dancing?
My dance experience began when I was three years old, twirling around in the aisles of a local nutcracker performance. After that my mom registered me for classes at LA Dance Connection and I trained with them for another 14 years. I was a member of the competition team for 8 years, which allowed me to compete with other dancers on national and international levels, and take classes from groundbreaking dancers and choreographers like Wade Robsin and Talia Favia. I also worked alongside my studio teachers as an assistant within classes and rehearsals for about seven years. I’ve been lucky enough to earn individual accolades such as scholarships, spirit awards, and top rankings as well as multiple team and studio awards with my performance group.
HC: What motivated you to major in psychology?
I chose psychology because I want to help and understand others around the world. I love getting to know people, their aspirations and what drives them. I guess you could say that people fascinate me! If I can help one person realize their potential or reach a goal, my mission would be complete.
HC: What is your dream job?
Anything that allows me to travel a lot, help others with psychological and emotional health, and still take some dance classes!
HC: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Ten years from now I see myself with my Ph.D and pursuing some form of practice in therapy or counseling. I also hope to have served in the Peace Corps, mastered surfing (I am but a wee padawan), completed a triathlon, and been to some really cool places with really cool people. I’ve got a lot of goals…
HC: You were a WOW leader this fall, how was that?
WOW! This program is very special to me, mostly because of my incredible WOW leaders and my incredible wowies. My personal wowie experience was unforgettable thanks to my own WOW leaders (second S/O to Leland and Tess!) and fantastic group. We all grew close so quickly and I’m even living with two people from my group and in our WOW leader’s old house! Our group was so blessed to have such a positive experience and have leaders who are always available to us. Because of this positive experience, I decided to become a WOW leader myself, which was hands-down one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. My co and I were very lucky to have a group of such genuine and positive people. One of my favorite memories with my group was actually when our plans didn’t work out and we ended up eating firestone tri-tips at our SMP, while listening to some wowies serenade us with guitars and ukuleles.
HC: Why do you dance?
Why do runners run? Why do musicians play their instruments? It’s the same thing. Dance is a complete escape from the world and its stresses. It’s an opportunity to create something with your body that expresses who you are and how you feel. It brings people together, much like a garage band or club sport team, because everyone involved loves what they are doing and wants to express that passion with others around them. It’s always so fascinating to see what others or you can do with the human body and how what is created can actually influence an audience’s emotions! Think about that, dancers and choreographers can trigger human responses without saying a single word. Also, it’s a great workout which is a plus.