I’m Nicola. I make art, teach movement, and do some other stuff too.
artist
I believe that art creates new narratives and visions for the future by dreaming, demonstrating, and sharing the embodied possibilities onstage that everyday interactions are incapable of instigating. I honor the body as a living and autonomous force rather than an abstraction of shape or object of desire. I know that how we move, communicate, and co-habitate inside of a dance studio and onstage is no different than how we move through, communicate in, and co-create the world; and I know that it matters how we do it. I believe that art is magic, and through my work I endeavor to create generous, accessible work that languages the invisible forces that shape our bodies, lives, and world.
Read more of my artist statement here
Stuck In Free Fall (2022-2023)
photo by Bea Rodrigues
A Long Lineage of Loneliness, and Dreams (2018-2020)
photo by Ludger Storcks
IMAGO (2018)
photo by Moriah LeFebvre
undone (2014)
photo by Tim Walter
The Untitled Solo Series (2011-2017)
other projects
photo by Ludger Storcks
teacher
For me, teaching movement is the intersection of passion and meaning. I love sharing the joy of movement with others and believe that teachers can support individuals, empower communities, and improve lives. Education and learning have guided my life; I participate in this lineage to pass on the best of what I have learned with these ideals in mind and body. I teach contemporary dance, contact improvisation, movement for actors, performance and composition workshops, and Pilates and fitness.
read more of my teaching philosophy here
Current Classes and Offerings
Mondays 8:15-9:10
Reformer Level 1-2
The Pilates Movement - Studio Flottwell
Tuesdays 8:00-9:00
Movement in the Park: Strength and Serenity
Anton-Saefkow-Park Spielplatz (Prenzlauer Berg)
Wednesday 9:15-10:10
Wake-Up Pilates
The Pilates Movement - Studio Mitte
Thursdays 12:00-14:00
WHAT DOES DANCE DO? (and why does it matter?)
Tanz Tangente (Steglitz)
Email me (nicolajoy@gmail.com) to learn more about my offerings or for sign-up info.
other
stuff
writer
I write stories, poetry, personal essays, and even research papers sometimes. Writing also makes its way into my performance work- check out A Long Lineage of Loneliness and Dreams or Stuck In Free Fall for more of my creative writing!
If you poke through my blog you’ll also find some written reflections.
producer
I produced my first art show in 2009 at Galapagos Art Space in NYC. Since then, I’ve produced dance theatre works, an international residency for 10 artists, and two more art shows.
Ponderosa on the Road: Israel (2017) in collaboration with Adi Brief and Ponderosa
Love: A Variety Show (2013)
For the Love of Art (2009) in collaboration with Ellen Reid
activism
I strongly believe our world needs to change, and I try to support that change with my body, resources, time, and energies.
getting arrested at Raleigh’s Moral Mondays (2013)
member or participant, current and past
The Department of Improvised Dance
headline photos on this page by Bea Rodrigues, Moriah LeFebvre, Anna Maynard, and Ludger Storcks