Paula Lindo – Our histories, stories, present, future.

Acclaimed dancer and calypsonian Natalie Joseph-Settle has been performing all her life. Now living in Atlanta, Georgia, Joseph-Settle continues to fly the flag of T&T high in all she does.

Joseph-Settle began performing at age nine, and joined the Northwest Laventille Cultural Movement at the age of 15 as a dancer, limbo dancer and actress. Over the years, she won numerous accolades, including Best Female Dancer, Best Outstanding Performer and Best Female Calypsonian. She later moved on to the Malick Folk Performing Company, where she won Best Female Performer several times, and eventually became the Dance Director for the Junior and Senior companies. She took them on a tour to Cuba, where they won a dance festival. She was a finalist in Teen Talent and Scouting for Talent and won a scholarship to attend the University of the West Indies, and a cash prize respectively for her choreography. Joseph-Settle also danced with the La Chapelle Dance Company and the Astor Johnson Repertory Dance Theatre.

Joseph-Settle taught dance at many schools throughout Trinidad. She toured regionally and internationally as part of official T&T delegations as well as with productions. “Ministers would go to summits and want a contingent that was immediately available, and since I had no kids then, I would say yes. Sometimes I would be the lone dancer or limboist. I’ve been to a lot of countries representing T&T. I was the lone dancer chosen to be part of the Carnival Messiah presentation in Leeds.”

Joseph-Settle was one of the first limbo mamas at UniverSoul Circus in Atlanta. She met and married her husband in 2001, and has a daughter with him, as well as two children from a previous marriage. She moved to Atlanta in 2011 and became almost immediately involved with the Caribbean community and the T&T Association. “I was hungry to find my people. I arrived in 2011 and in 2012 I performed at their Easter celebrations. The president, Alan Simpson, is a Trinidadian who’s very well known and respected in Atlanta. I was Youth Officer for two years running, trying to get the American children of Caribbean heritage to be involved in the culture. That’s what I do and try to pass on and it was very much loved.”

Joseph-Settle began singing calypso in 2015 when she entered and won a competition in Atlanta. She placed second in 2016 and third in 2017. She said she was inspired to continue entering because of the fact that there was a Calypso competition at all. “There are people from different Caribbean countries, St. Lucian, Haitian, Vincentian, but it’s my culture that they’re investing in and I’m not going to back down, I’m going to be there every year. I also began to sing soca and became known as Atlanta’s Soca Queen. I performed last year at the Atlanta Festival in Stonecrest, which is their Carnival that usually takes place in May around Memorial Day Weekend. It’s usually a big thing and three years running I’ve seen so many wonderful things there in that community, which is culture driven. I’ve joined a group of people called the Panyarders Mas Band, and both the adult and children’s bands have won multiple competitions each year. I’m always an ambassador for my country. I’ve hosted the band launching of the Panyarders, for three years running, then I worked at the Police Commissioner, ended up at Caribbean Heritage Month at City Hall in Atlanta a couple years ago and I’ve been involved with it ever since, and then we have our grand celebration of T&T’s Independence with a grand gala and other activities.”

Joseph-Settle continues to teach and impart T&T culture in Atlanta to both children and adults, specifically through the medium of dance and theatre. In choreographing the US production of Carnival Medea: A Bacchanal, written by Rhoma Spencer and Dr. Shirleen Holmes, she taught the movements of the different traditional characters to the Georgia State University students. She also helped to take the production to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. She was disappointed that the achievement was not publicized more in T&T.

Joseph-Settle is currently performing at the Divas Calypso Cabaret International calypso tent. This is her third year at the tent. She was encouraged to audition by friend and mentor Margaret Gittens. Her song this year is entitled Who’s to Blame?, asking who is responsible for the ills being faced by T&T. The song did not progress to the semi-finals. “When I was with Malick, I performed as a backup dancer for most of the calypsonians in the Revue, but I will be staying at the Divas tent. I have a home base and I might not go anywhere again. In singing Calypso I think that’s where I was found and I’m getting to express myself.”