Meet Nicole Adams | Dance Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Adams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I remember at 16 years old, I sat in my guidance counselor’s office and he said, “What do you want to study in college?” And my immediate response was, “I want to be a lawyer.” I said it so quickly, he chuckled and said, “Are you sure?” Well, no one had ever asked me that before. My parents are both immigrants. They saw the United States as the land of opportunity like many immigrants did. And to them, a successful career was to be a doctor, lawyer, or anything close to those fields. Being a dancer? That was completely foreign to them. My guidance counselor saw that I was stumped and he followed up with, “What makes you happy?” And there was no hesitation to that question. Dance made me happy. It was the only thing in my life that fed my soul. So, I chose to pursue a career in what made me happy.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My proudest moments are seeing my students succeed. I have been blessed to teach some amazing dancers – college students, children, and adults. The most rewarding part of my job, is brining dance to the community. At the Atlanta Ballet, I oversee a program called Kids In Step. This grant funded program provides students K-12 with the opportunity to see a dance performance at either a discounted price or for free. Providing a child with the opportunity to see a dance performance for the first time is so special! There is nothing I want more than to make sure the people I encounter are educated, motivated, and inspired about the field of dance. As long as I am a dance educator, this will always be my mission. I want the world to know that I never gave up. I always consider myself to be a work in progress, always learning and growing. I am very passionate about dance and dance education, it is a large part of who I am. I will never stop sharing that passion with the world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
So much to do! One week! I would have to take her to Chattahoochee Coffee Company for a latte. I love the Riverside location where you can have a view of the river. The Beltline East Side trail is my favorite! Getting to see all of the street arts and fun restaurants along the way. We would have to stop for dinner at TWO Urban Licks. Their small plates are delicious! Sky Line Park is a must see at the top of Ponce City Market. They always have fund events there. My favorite time to visit is on a warm summer night. You can see all of the city lights. A festival is always happening in Atlanta, but my favorite would be the Dogwood festival, with so many arts vendors and small businesses to support. We would have to get dessert from Jeni’s Ice Cream in Midtown. The lavender ice cream is my favorite! The Plaza Theatre would be a fun place to catch an old movie. I love the old school feel! Since we would be nearby, we would have to stop at Murphy’s in Virginia-Highland. This is my favorite restaurant, I love their mussels. The Center for Civil and Human Rights is a must see! I have never been to another museum like it. Every time I go, I shed a lot of tears, but I always feel so informed and so inspired. We would have to venture outside of the perimeter to Be Yoga on Marietta square for a hot Yoga class. And hit up Cami Cakes in Historic Vinings for a signature cupcake. My favorite time to visit the Atlanta Botanical Gardens is during the fall for Scarecrows in the Garden, I love to see all the work that the community puts in to submitting a scare crow. My best friend is a former dancer so I would have to take her to a dance class and performance. There are so many opportunities to see dance in Atlanta! We would have to take Harmony Clair’s Ballet class at the Atlanta Ballet Michael C. Carlos Dance Centre and of course I would take her to an Atlanta Ballet performance!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Yes! For almost a decade, Atlanta Ballet has been my home. I have grown as a dance educator and created a name for myself in the dance community by being a part of this organization. And also, I can never forget my dance mentor, Sally Bomer, my college professor. Sally has always encouraged me to step out of the box and to never limit my possibilities as an artist.

Website: centre.atlantaballet.com

Image Credits
Kim Kenney