About the Author:
Niki Maple
Niki began dancing at age 5 in Phoenix, AZ and instantly fell in love with Ballet. She received her pre-professional training with many prestige institutions including American Ballet Theatre, Milwaukee Ballet Summer Intensive, and Ballet Etudes in Chandler, AZ. Throughout her career, she danced professionally across the U.S. with several companies including Milwaukee Ballet, Eugene Ballet, James Sewell Ballet, and Alaska Dance Theatre. She has performed in major productions including Dracula, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, La Bayadere, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Nights Dream, A Thousand and One Arabian Nights, Othello, and the Nutcracker. She has been featured in many contemporary pieces by such choreographers as Toni Pimple, Gilmer Duran, Courtland Weaver, Alice Bassler Sullivan, Jessica Lang, and Amy Seiwart. Post performance career, Niki went on to serve as Artistic Director of Alaska Dance Theatre for over 7 years. She now brings her experience and guidance to the dance community to help others follow their dance goals.
Why Ballet Parent's Guide?
During my time as Artistic Director, I ran one of the largest pre-professional dance organizations in the state of Alaska. And during this time, I saw and heard it all! I got to experience the joys of watching students progress through the many different stages of their dance training career, and celebrate their victories and achievements in the dance world. I also encountered almost every question possible from parents, aspiring dancers, and dance lovers alike. Starting a new hobby like ballet can be very intimidating for many families that have never been a part of the dance world before, and there are many rules that can be accidently broken just based on a lack of understanding. My hope is that this website will help guide others during their dance journeys, whether it be a parent putting their child in ballet for the first time, an aspiring artist wanting to understand the professional journey, or an adult dancer with questions on starting later in life.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting ideas. Please send me a message if you'd like a certain topic covered.