Nicole Merrill
At an early age, Nicole fell in love with dance. Developing a strong passion and growing desire to learn, she studied from and taught for the best teachers Nebraska had to offer. It soon became clear she needed to perform and teach professionally, so she left Omaha in pursuit of a dance career. She began her training at Oklahoma City University, which offers a highly sought after, nationally recognized Dance Performance Program. Here she received the bulk of her core training, and the vigorous program prepared her for what the real world had to offer.
Upon leaving Oklahoma City, Nicole moved to Las Vegas to begin her career teaching and performing. Dance took her across the county and various jobs and teaching opportunities had her spending a lot of time in both Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Soon her love for theatre caused her to move to New York City where she was surprised to learn a whole different way of life and dance. She is fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with and take from some of the top choreographers in both New York and LA. She has taken all that she has learned from these amazing dancers and fused it into a dance and teaching style all of her own. She is excited to bring her knowledge of the industry back to the mid-west, and can’t wait to share it with her students at DanceWorks. Dance has enriched, inspired, and transformed her life, and she feels so blessed to have had so many amazing experiences. She looks forward to creating special moments with her students, and empowering them to believe in their dreams.
Some of her credits include a national tour of the Broadway show of Saturday Night Fever, sit down spots at some of the oldest theatres in Vegas, numerous trade shows, hair shows, and fashion shows including Vegas biggest fashion show, Magic. She has done numerous character-work of beloved cartoon characters. She has had TV spots, work-shopped musicals, and taught amazing students at wonderful studios across the country.
Nicole is also a Pilates Reformer instructor. She practices a more contemporary take on traditional Pilates, and takes the principles she’s learned to the dance classes she instructs. Pilates has allowed her the ability to learn and better understand the way the body works naturally, and this knowledge plays a huge role in helping her students work more efficiently and effectively to avoid injury.
Nicole is co-owner of DanceWorks Conservatory and DanceWear Express.