Andrea Nicole Ortiz (Nikki) is an Ecuadorian born, New York based circus artist and yoga teacher. She began her movement exploration at a young age through dance and rhythmic gymnastics. After a hiatus she reconnected with it through yoga and dedicated herself to studying this ancient discipline. Nikki holds 600 hours of certified training, studying primarily under Jared McCann, Rose Erin Vaughan and Yoshio Hama. In 2015 under the mentorship of Jared McCann she obtained the tittle of USA National Yoga Asana champion. Nikki has a passion for alignment and the pursuit of precision in yoga asana. Her classes often emphasize backbending and flexibility training in order to help students use proper technique to access their body's natural range of motion while developing a healthy approach towards flexibility. Nikki’s teaching integrates elements from various yoga traditions as well as her own acrobatic practice and continuing exploration in efforts to use the human body as a vehicle for self realization.
As an artist Nikki seeks to utilize her movement style as a language for expression. She works with contortion and aerial acrobatics as well as the ancient art of hair suspension. Her performance work has appeared at The Brooklyn Museum, The Whitney Museum, Little Cinema and The House of Yes amongst others. She was part of the original cast and creative team of Rigolo Nouveau Cirque’s Moonrise in New York. She is a collaborator at Hybrid Movement Company, where she choreographs, performs and uses her design background for set design. Her collaborative work with Hybrid Movement Company has been awarded a Burning Man grant and has been presented at Lincoln Center Jazz.
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