Nikki Hefko

Artistic Director

 

Owner and artistic director Nikki Hefko is a 2017-18 School of American Ballet National Visiting Fellow and an American Ballet Theatre® Certified Teacher in levels Pre-Primary through 7 of the ABT® National Teacher Training Curriculum.  At Dance Theatre of Harlem School she was a full-time faculty member and Summer Intensive director.  She was also a faculty member, company teacher and summer intensive director at Brooklyn Ballet and a ballet instructor at The Joffrey Ballet School NY.  Ms. Hefko has trained, mentored, and coached students now in prominent schools and companies including, New York City Ballet, The Juilliard School, Charlotte Ballet, Carolina Ballet, School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Rock School for Dance Education, State University of New York at Purchase, Nashville Ballet, and Oklahoma City Ballet.  She travels frequently as a choreographer and guest instructor nation wide.

 

Ms. Hefko graduated with high honors from Loyola University New Orleans with Bachelor and Master degrees in Literature and Education.  

 

As a Dance Theatre of Harlem company member, under the direction of Arthur Mitchell, Ms. Hefko danced in some of the world’s greatest theaters, such as Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, and the Sadler’s Wells Theatre.  She toured the U.S. and abroad dancing a full repertoire of classical, neo-classical, and contemporary ballets by George Balanchine, Michael Smuin, and John Taras.  In 2006, she performed at the White House, captured in the PBS Special, In Performance at the White House, honoring the life and career of Arthur Mitchell.   Additionally, Ms. Hefko danced with Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, The Metropolitan Opera and other companies as a freelance dancer. 

 

Ms. Hefko's choreography has been performed at various New York City venues, the Louisiana Dance Festival in Baton Rouge, LA, The Contemporary Arts Center (New Orleans) and by the Madison Ballet (Madison, WI).  She was selected by Harlem Stage to present her acclaimed work, myself when i am real, to the music of Charles Mingus.  She has enjoyed collaborating with composers such Patricia Giannattasio, for Music and Motion, Original Dance and Music, CUNY Composers' Alliance working with Dance Theatre of Harlem company members and Helen Gillet on Rising Sun Blues with the Marigny Opera Ballet.   Her work for the Marigny Opera Ballet has twice been nominated for the Big Easy Entertainment Awards, once in 2016 and again in 2017.

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In addition to her work at New Orleans School of Ballet, Nikki is an adjunct lecturer in the Theatre and Dance Department at Tulane University) and a Board Member with the Junior Philharmonic Society of New Orleans.