"One day at a time" An Interview with Nicole Dreher by Roya Pishvaei

Nicole Dreher (she/they) is a Canadian dance artist currently based in Cambridge, Ontario. She studies contemporary and modern dance at Simon Fraser University and spends her free time practicing other art forms. Nicole has danced her entire life but her journey with art and creation has not always been a smooth one. 

 

Nicole Dreher photographed by Chad Pilkington

 

Like most artists, Nicole has faced challenges with creation and performance. She opened about her past and current struggles as a dancer.

 

Q: What steered you towards pursuing dance post-secondary and how did you know it was the right choice?

A: I was very nervous to pursue dance. There was definitely a lot of imposter syndrome in my first year. I was like "I do not deserve to be here", "I'm not talented enough" and faced a lot of self-doubt. I hesitated to apply to other dance programs because I wasn't confident enough in my own abilities even though I knew that dance was what I wanted to do.

 

Q: Have you overcome the “imposter syndrome” that you speak of? Could you perhaps expand on what other challenges you’ve faced?

A: There are a lot of confidence issues that I experience while dancing. I never won at dance competitions and in the studio world that's what you strive for, getting first overall. Since that wasn't me, I felt that I wasn't good enough to be a professional dancer. When I came to university and compared myself to others, I felt like they were so much better and it brought back the same emotions I felt back at my old studio. I struggle a lot with comparing myself to my fellow dancers. So no, I don't think I've overcome my imposter syndrome, but I'm trying to change my thought patterns and see my peers as learning tools instead of competition. 

“an arm's length” choreographed and performed by Nicole Dreher at SCA’s student choreography show The Junction of Here and There 2019. Photographed by Rashi Sethi.

 

Nicole's dancing and choreographic process have evolved over her years at SFU. Her unique style involves experimenting with angles, gestures, and the unexpected. She works in a way that goes against her natural instincts and contemporary dance norms. She shared some thoughts about her artistic growth.

 

Q: What has changed the most for you from before entering SFU to now as a third-year student? Have you changed the way you view yourself as a dancer and artist?

A: I've created a lot more. In the past, I was never really confident enough to create. But we've been encouraged to go for it and being pushed has made me actually do it. I'm learning that not everything you create has to be perfect. You can workshop it, get opinions from peers and professors, and the first draft of a piece doesn't need to be the final product.

 

Q: Where do you usually find your inspiration for a piece?

A: MY FEELINGS! The best way for me to understand what I am experiencing emotionally is to dance about it. 

 

Q: What is your biggest accomplishment during your time at SFU?

A: My mainstage solo from last year - an arm’s length. It was the first piece that I really worked on. I got feedback and I applied the feedback, I changed it, workshopped it, and I feel like it really stood out. I was able to say what I wanted to say with this piece, whether or not the audience got it and I'm really proud of that.

 

Q: How has your creative process as a dancer changed during the pandemic?

A: I'm finding it a lot more difficult to get into the right headspace to create pieces during COVID. So recently I've been changing my focus and making a lot more films. I have worked on more personal stuff and have been able to make my work more intimate. It has been hard to stay motivated when continuously making solo work. As for my process, I start with a feeling or thought, then play around with camera angles and editing.

"Note to Self" a solo quarantine project created by Nicole Dreher

Dancing is not the only trick up Nicole's sleeve, she also practices other artistic hobbies!

 

Q: What other hobbies do you do outside of dance and why do you do them?

A: I bullet journal! It's a way of keeping myself organized while incorporating doodles and visual art. During the past year, I have been refining my visual art skills. I also have an Etsy shop where I sell recycled paper and I am starting to sell art prints! I am quite a crafty person and I am starting to embrace that part of me.

Nicole's bullet journal Youtube channel

Nicole’s journey with contemporary art continues. We ended our interview by discussing what Nicole see’s for her future. 

“I’ve always wanted to perform and tour, I want to see the world while dancing. I would love to make interdisciplinary work and collaborate with other artists and artforms. I'm really just taking it one day at a time, especially in this pandemic it’s really hard to see where contemporary art and live performance is going… one day at a time.”