Profiles - The Floor Is All Yours

Profiles

Choreographer - Teacher

Where Nicole Teaches:

I have taught for multiple dance studios, building up their tap programs. Such studios include American Dance and Drama, Dream Center Dance Academy, Jam Dance and Fitness and Monroe Dance Academy.

I've also had the opportunity to teach and choreography musical theater for the Alpharetta High School Theater Department, Crab Apple Middle School Theater Department and NEAT Acting Studio.

I guest teach, teach master classes, workshops, and teacher workshops throughout the country. I've taught two summers for the Joffrey Miamia Summer intensive and also was a Youth Program teacher and choreographer for the NYC Tap Dance Festival (Tap City) in 2019.

I'm currently teaching at Steps on Broadway, Hawks Nest After School program at the School at Hunter College, The School at Columbia, The American Tap Dance Foundation, along with teaching private classes and private lessons. I'm also a guest teacher and sub at Broadway Dance Center and Peridance.

Choreographically, I've had my work presented throughout the tri-state area. I'm the Artistic Director of Cole Collective, a tap dance company founded in 2014, which focuses on finding the relationships between the music and movement.

I've received my Level 1 and Level 2 Tap Teacher Training certification from the American Tap Dance Foundation and I'm currently completing my Masters Degree in Dance Education from Hunter College. I also was selected to present at NYSDEA in January 2021 on how Tap Dance can be taught through using Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences.

Bio:

Nicole Ohr received her BA in Dance and Psychology from Hofstra University in 2008. As a teacher, Nicole teaches all ages and various styles of dance. She is a certified ATDF Certified Tap Teacher (levels 1 and 2) and is currently teaching throughout the tri-state area, including studios and organizations such as the American Tap Dance Foundation, The School at Columbia, and Steps On Broadway. She is in the MA program for Dance Education at Hunter College and recently presented her studies of how to teach Tap Dance through using Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences at NYSDEA.

Name: Nicole Ohr

D.O.B.: December 15, 1985

Hobbies: Exploring New Places, Walking Over Bridges, Puzzles

Love/Passion: Dance and Music

Awards/Credits: My choreography has been selected to perform in various festivals in the tri-state area. As a teacher, I've also had the opportunity to work for prestigious organizations such as Broadway Dance Center, Joffrey Ballet, Peridance and Steps on Broadway.

Other skills: Playing the oboe, Swimming

Future Plans: I will continue setting work on my tap dance company, Cole Collective, and continue spreading the love of tap dance through my teaching.

Videos of Choreography:

Student Choreography

youtube.com/watch?v=yuxdBiD_z4Y

youtube.com/watch?v=fJBt6PpccnA

youtube.com/watch?v=NU-tLpjHyBU

youtube.com/watch?v=fXX8Uksowpo

youtube.com/watch?v=r54IfhwLtjo

youtube.com/watch?v=DH1EIh4inA4

Company Choreography

youtube.com/watch?v=0B1dyhuMCIw

Teaching Videos

youtube.com/watch?v=VizPNGanjbU

youtube.com/watch?v=40kHtP0O9eM

Technique, Counterpoints, Rhythm Games and Choreography FINAL

Interview and Notes

Q: From your experience what do you think is the hardest and easiest thing about choreography in general?

A: The hardest part of choreography is trying to get your idea across and knowing when you achieved that. The easiest part would be the actual creation of steps. That can come out of improvisation.

Q: What is one of your favorite things about choreography?

A: One of my favorite things about choreography is being able to explore new ideas through tap dance.

Q: What styles of dance do you choreograph?

A: I choreograph many styles from ballet, hip hop, and modern dance to musical theater and tap dance. Professionally though, I choreograph tap dance.

Q: What is your favorite style of dance to choreograph and why?

A: My favorite style to choreograph is tap dance. I think in rhythms.

Q: What is one of your favorite things about teaching dance?

A: I love going on the journey along with my students. Getting to know them and learn how to relate the art form to them is a wonderful, rewarding process.

Q: What styles of dance do you teach?

A: I teach ballet, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, modern dance and tap dance. I specialize in tap dance though.

Q: What is your favorite style of dance to teach and why?

A: Tap dance would be my favorite style to teach. There is so much history in the art form and I find great joy in finding different ways for my students to connect to the history, the movement and the rhythm.

Q: What do you think is one of the most important things about teaching dance, and what do you think makes a good dance teacher?

A: The most important thing about teaching dance and what also makes a good dance teacher is getting to know your students and understanding how they should be taught. I'm also a big advocate for teachers knowing their craft inside and out so that they can pass it on enthusiastically!

Q: Every choreographer is unique in their own way. When people see a dance presentation, what unique thing(s) will they notice that will let them know that you were the choreographer?

A: One unique thing people will notice in my choreography is that it is rhythmically very closely connected to the music and that it is very interactive between the dancers.