NICOLE ARCHIBEQUE

With over 25 years of dance experience and more than 10 years of teaching experience Nicole Archibeque is a veteran of the dance industry.  Her early dance training took place in the California Central Valley where she quickly became an enthusiastic member of the Bodies Electric Dance Company, a national award winning dance and choreography group that prides itself on technique and combining a variety of dance in single performance.  Her participation in this group took her to Scotland where they performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, to France where they performed during “Disney’s Magic Music Days” in Disneyland, Paris and to other venues in Europe.  Ms. Archibeque was also a principal dancer of the YES (Youth Entertainment Stage) Company in their production of “Once on this Island” under the direction of Melanie Wyatt.  Her studies took her from the Central Valley to Santa Barbara, where she studied under Kay Fulton and danced in many collegiate and studio Modern Dance performances as a principle dancer.  When she returned home, she decided to donate time and teach dance at City and County Recreation Departments while she continued her personal dance education at Sierra College, where she danced in various theatrical productions around the region.  It was during this time that Ms. Archibeque noticed that there were no sponsors to speak of to support the Dance Program at Sierra College.  “Sierra had many talented dancers and choreographers at the time but there was no way to get their work seen by the public.”  Ms. Archibeque decided to get involved.  She spearheaded a movement to raise funds for a Showcase event and became one of the founding members of the Sierra College Dance Club.  Under her guidance as President, this body was, and continues to be, instrumental in providing young choreographers and dancer’s venues in which to showcase their talent and innovation for the public.  In 2006, Ms. Archibeque turned her attention to fulfilling her dream of teaching dance full time.  She has taught and performed for City and County Recreation Departments, Gymnastics Academies, Dance Studios, and Performing Arts Schools in both Northern and Southern California including STRUT Performing Arts, Inc. where she graced the stage as “Mother Gingersnap” in Strut’s 2010 original production of The NOTcracker and again as “Principle McGhee” in Strut’s 2011 original stage production Rebels of Rydell High.  “Teaching is my lifelong dream and performing is my lifelong passion.  I was honored to teach at STRUT for almost two years and in that time I was allowed to indulge both my dream and my passion.   Strut is a uniquely warm and creative environment where students and teachers alike can improve their technique, broaden their repertoire, and bring out the best that is within.  As for me…I will always consider STRUT my home.”  Ms. Archibeque currently resides in Camarillo California where she is raising two beautiful children and joyfully teaching dance to the next generation.