Nicholas Gray

He/They
Dance Teacher

Nicholas Bradley Gray (he/they) is a local Dancer, Choreographer, and Educator and is so excited to be joining the faculty at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre School of Theatre Arts. They grew up in the thriving arts town of Milwaukee, Wisconsin where they had the privilege to train and perform at the highest professional level at the many accredited arts organizations there including First Stage Children’s Theatre, Milwaukee Children’s Choir, and Milwaukee Ballet School. After receiving their Bachelor’s Degree in Ballet with an Outside Field in Theatre and Drama from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music they moved to Grand Rapids to dance as an apprentice with Grand Rapids Ballet for the 2018-2019 season where they currently serve on the school faculty and occasionally perform as a guest with the company. Nicholas is excited to pass on their many years of accrued knowledge to the next generation of performers and instill in them the philosophy that dancing, above all, should be joyful, safe, and inclusive.

What inspires you?
Joy inspires me. If something isn’t fun I don’t want to do it. I strive to be enthusiastic in my teaching so I can inspire my students to seek joy and revel in the beauty of their movement and their bodies.

Who is your favorite fictional character?
Peter Pan has always been my favorite! I relate to his desire to stay youthful, joyful, and free forever and, of course, would love to be able to fly!

What was your favorite after school snack growing up?
After starting ballet I turned to something healthy like a granola bar but before I was a dancer I’d probably reach for Goldfish crackers or something sweet!