Dance Therapy with Shea Ra Nichi - Dance and Healing

Shea-Ra Nichi, An accomplished dancer, director and choreographer, she has been performing professionally since age eight. Shea-Ra Nichi studied professional theatre in New York City through the Circle in the Square School. She has traveled to Haiti, Europe and Brazil researching and learning all forms of African cultural dance. She continues to work with UNCW Upperman center as their Resident Artist since the Summer/Fall 2005. Shea-Ra Nichi teaches dance classes in both and Wilmington and Fayetteville, NC. Shea-Ra Nichi has started developing a new dance form called Nichi technique. The foundation of this technique is the combination of folkloric dance styles, their techniques and traditions. In honor of these traditional dances the Nichi technique was created. This technique is choreography draws on the folkloric traditions of the Congo, Haitian, Brazilian, and Cuban influences. The Nichi Technique was created out of the desire to contemporize the folkloric movements to speak directly to people of our times. This is a progressive technique with it roots in communicating life through movement. The foundation of my training experience in folkloric dance coupled with my travels to some of this above mentioned regions has contributed to a greater insight to these folkloric dance styles and the people in these communities whom which dance is a natural part of their culture. For lack of a better description, Modern dance is present in this technique as a way to broaden these traditional movements which is one of the techniques unique attributes. Shea-Ra would like to continue her travels, research and training, with her sights set on Afro- Cuban, African folkloric forms of dance in places such Oshogbo in Nigeria, and Cuba. She would also like to travel through out this country as well to bring recognition to her work.