Photo by Sundjata Imhepi

KEON K. NICKIE

DBDT: Encore! Artistic Assistant

KEON K. NICKIE, from Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago, began his dance training in his native country at age 5, before immigrating to the United States to further his education and dance studies. In 2007, he graduated with a BFA in dance and choreography from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY. Keon has studied and performed with highly respected dance institutions such as, The Ailey School, Balance Dance Theatre, Ballet Hispánico, Cheryl Byron and Something Positive, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Eclectic Dance Theater, and Purelements. He has performed works by choreographers, Gary Abbott, Alvin Ailey, Talley Beatty, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Asadata Dafora, Cheryl Byron, Autumn Eckman, Richard Freeman, James Gregg, Christopher L. Huggins, Kevin Iega Jeff, Lisa Johnson-Willingham, Kevin A. Joseph, Bill T. Jones, Michael Manswell, Harrison McEldowney, Mark Morris, Troy Powell, Pearl Primus, Matthew Rushing, Christian Spuck, Nathan Trice, Twyla Tharp, Dr. Melissa Vaughan, Lakai Worrell, Obediah Wright and Edgar Zendejas.

Keon was a company member of Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre, DanceWorks Chicago and Chicago Repertory Ballet, performing nationally and internationally, live with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico. He became a member of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre from 2014 until 2017. He also performed with the Dallas Opera as an ensemble for the productions of “Samson & Dalila”, “The Pearl Fishers” and “Hansel and Gretel.” Between 2017-2022. He has set works for Booker T. Washington Performing Arts High School, Deeply Rooted Emerging Choreography Artist Showcase, SueMo Dance Company, and Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s “Black on Black”, and the Chicago Contemporary Dance Company. In 2018, Keon was invited as a guest resident teacher and choreographer for CKT Centre de Danse, Petion-Ville Haiti. He has taught at , “Junior Players” and “Broadway Dallas” both non-profit organizations that teaches arts and education in the inner city public school system, in the Fort Worth/ DFW area. Keon was named the Artistic Assistant to DBDT: Encore!, under the direction of Nycole Ray in 2022.