NATALIE FRAZiER ALLEN & Isaac AOKI
MARCH 1, 2025
Count Down
Days
NATALIE FRAZiER ALLEN & ISAAC AOKI
MARCH 1, 2025
Days
NATALIE FRAZiER ALLEN & ISAAC AOKI
MARCH 1, 2025
Days
DANCING WITH THE STARS OF CHARLOTTE GALA
On March 1, 2025, Natalie and Isaac compete with five community leaders on the Knight Theater stage to raise funds to support The Arts Empowerment Project and Charlotte Ballet.
Funds are split 50/50 between the two organizations.
Vote for Natalie and Isaac by purchasing tickets for the gala or making a donation.
$1=1 Vote
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS TODAY; THEY'RE SELLING FAST!
ABOUT THE STAR DANCER TEAM OF NATALIE & ISAAC
about Founder & ceo
Natalie Frazier Allen
Natalie Frazier Allen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Arts Empowerment Project, is an attorney whose passion for the arts and commitment to advocating for children impacted by trauma inspired her vision for the organization. Growing up in New York City as the daughter of a classically trained music teacher and a professional photographer, Natalie experienced firsthand how the arts can expand a child’s horizons. While her early love for music, painting, and dance shaped her worldview, she ultimately pursued a career in law, serving as Chief of the Domestic Unit in the Attorney General’s Office for the District of Columbia. After relocating to Charlotte, she became a Mecklenburg County Guardian ad Litem volunteer, advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children.
Motivated by her commitment to youth and the arts, Natalie founded The Arts Empowerment Project, using the arts as a vehicle to break cycles of violence and trauma and ignite change in vulnerable youth. Since its pilot launch in 2014, the organization has served over 3,000 children and teens in Charlotte, inspiring positive self-expression, resilience, and community connections. Natalie will be dancing for The Arts Empowerment Project to help expand its delivery of high-quality arts programming for K-12 students, fostering resilience, building life skills, and offering hope and healing through the transformative power of the arts.
In addition to her work with The Arts Empowerment Project, Natalie has served on the boards of the Harvey B. Gantt Center, Youth Villages, the Women’s Impact Fund, and as Board Chair of the Mint Museum’s Board of Trustees. She currently sits on the boards of the VAPA Center, the Mint Museum’s Advisory Board, and the Advisory Board of Johnson and Wales University. Natalie earned her J.D. from The George Washington University’s National Law Center and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Spelman College. Since 2007, she has lived in South Charlotte with her husband, Hugh Allen, and their two children.
ISAAC AOKI
Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Isaac Aoki made his debut at three as a frog in Thumbelina at the University of Utah. He does not remember a time he didn’t love dance. He went on to study at Ballet West Academy, performing yearly in its Nutcracker. He then earned a full scholarship to the Kirov Academy in Washington DC where he studied Russian Vaganova technique. He then successfully auditioned for a full scholarship at the Professional Division program at Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle where he studied for two years and performed with the company. From the age of 14, he attended programs every summer on scholarship – Kaatsbaan, The School of American Ballet, Miami City Ballet School, Springboard Danse Montreal, and Nederlands Dans Theatre. Isaac was invited to join Grand Rapids Ballet in 2013 by its then new director – Patricia Barker, former principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet. During his time there, he danced contemporary and classical works by George Balanchine, Lar Lubovitch, Jennifer Archibald, Olivier Wevers, and Alejandro Cerrudo. Isaac also originated roles in new creations by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Penny Saunders, and Robyn Mineko Williams. While living in Michigan Isaac was also a guest artist with Hubbard Street II, touring to Germany and at Lincoln Center to perform works by Alejandro Cerrudo, Peter Chu, and Bryan Aryias. He has choreographed four ballets since the inception of Grand Rapids Ballet’s Jumpstart series, in which company dancers create their own works. He is most excited to join Charlotte Ballet and become part of the diverse and culturally rich Queen City.
Natalie Frazier Allen
Natalie Frazier Allen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Arts Empowerment Project, is an attorney whose passion for the arts and personal commitment to advocating on behalf of children impacted by trauma inspired her vision for The Arts Empowerment Project. Growing up in New York City as the daughter of a classically trained music teacher of inner-city youth and a professional photographer and advertising print specialist, and as an artist herself, Natalie experienced firsthand just how the arts can expand a child’s horizons. While her early love for music, painting, and dance shaped her world view, she ultimately pursued a career in law as an attorney. Natalie’s legal journey included serving as Chief of the Domestic Unit in the Attorney General’s Office for the District of Columbia. After relocating with her family to Charlotte, she served the community as a Mecklenburg County Guardian ad Litem volunteer, advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children.
Motivated by her commitment to youth and passion for the arts, Natalie founded The Arts Empowerment Project, which uses arts as a vehicle to break the cycles of violence and trauma and ignite change in vulnerable youth. Since its pilot launch in 2014, the organization has served over 3,000 children and teens in Charlotte by inspiring positive self-expression, resilience, and community connections.
Natalie will be dancing for The Arts Empowerment Project to enhance and expand the organization’s delivery of high-quality arts programming and opportunities for students in grades K-12, which broaden horizons, foster resilience, and build essential life skills. Through the transformative power of the arts, children can find hope, healing, and alter the trajectory of their lives.
In addition to her work with The Arts Empowerment Project, Natalie has previously served on the boards of the Harvey B. Gantt Center, Youth Villages, the Women’s Impact Fund Board of Directors, and as Board Chair of the Mint Museum’s Board of Trustees. She currently sits on the boards of the VAPA Center, the Mint Museum’s Advisory Board, and the Advisory Board of Johnson and Wales University.
Natalie earned her J.D. from The George Washington University’s National Law Center, and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Spelman College. Natalie has lived in South Charlotte since 2007 with her husband, Hugh Allen, and their two children.
ISAAC AOKI
Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Isaac Aoki made his debut at three as a frog in Thumbelina at the University of Utah. He does not remember a time he didn’t love dance. He went on to study at Ballet West Academy, performing yearly in its Nutcracker. He then earned a full scholarship to the Kirov Academy in Washington DC where he studied Russian Vaganova technique. He then successfully auditioned for a full scholarship at the Professional Division program at Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle where he studied for two years and performed with the company. From the age of 14, he attended programs every summer on scholarship – Kaatsbaan, The School of American Ballet, Miami City Ballet School, Springboard Danse Montreal, and Nederlands Dans Theatre. Isaac was invited to join Grand Rapids Ballet in 2013 by its then new director – Patricia Barker, former principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet. During his time there, he danced contemporary and classical works by George Balanchine, Lar Lubovitch, Jennifer Archibald, Olivier Wevers, and Alejandro Cerrudo. Isaac also originated roles in new creations by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Penny Saunders, and Robyn Mineko Williams. While living in Michigan Isaac was also a guest artist with Hubbard Street II, touring to Germany and at Lincoln Center to perform works by Alejandro Cerrudo, Peter Chu, and Bryan Aryias. He has choreographed four ballets since the inception of Grand Rapids Ballet’s Jumpstart series, in which company dancers create their own works. He is most excited to join Charlotte Ballet and become part of the diverse and culturally rich Queen City.
Funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Arts Empowerment Project is a 501 (c) (3) organization.