Nikaio Bulan Sahar Thomashow (they/he) is a mixed Jewish and Filipinx-American dancer, composer, and choreographer originally from the Adirondacks, NY. They began their training at the Lake Placid School of Dance and continued on to study at the French Academie of Ballet in NYC. Nikaio graduated from Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences in 2018 with a degree in dance. Their thesis on performative identities explored the bounds of how bodies are affected by a person’s history and how this can influence the quality and production of movement. They have worked with companies such as Les Grands Ballets Canadiens (Montréal), Neos Dance Theatre (Ohio), and Daloy Dance Company (Philippines). In 2023, Nikaio completed their second and final season as a company member with EMERGE125, served as the AAPI Artist in Residence at TOPAZ ARTS, and started KAōS Dance Collective. KAōS Dance Collective creates innovative, interdisciplinary, site-specific dance works by centering artists’ individual voices and talents.
