Nikki Tarling

Nikki began her dance studies at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. During her time at WAAPA, Nikki was selected to spend 6 months on exchange at Codarts in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Upon graduation in 2016 with her Bachelor in Performing Arts, Nikki began her long term engagement as a freelance contemporary dance artist. Moving to Launceston to begin her first contract, Nikki began working with Tasdance rehearsing ‘Fragile Matter’ with Paul Blackman and Christine Gouzelis (Jukstapoz), and was nominated as ‘Dancer to watch’ in the Dance Australia magazine in 2017. Following Tasdance, Nikki moved to Melbourne and continued working with many independent choreographers and artists, and has performed in an array of contemporary dance festivals across Australia. This includes the Perth & Melbourne Fringe Festival, and the Perth & Melbourne International Arts Festival, as well as a significant number of independent works in Australia. A few of these works include ‘Colossus’ & ‘Multiply’ by Stephanie Lake Company, and ‘Duplex’ by Jack Riley. ‘Duplex’ was presented at the Academia di Belle Art in Florence as part Melbourne University’s ‘First Commissions’ campaign. In 2020 Nikki returned to Perth to perform in a double-bill ‘Hofesh in the Yard’ presented by STRUT’s dance season in association with the Hofesh Shechter Company for the Perth International Arts Festival. In 2020 Nikki’s teaching practice sparked after completing her Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training. With dance knowledge that spans over 20 years, her focus is on awakening and rekindling the fluidity of the body.