Martha Nichols is a force. An award winning choreographer, master teacher and dynamic speaker, Martha creates work that stirs the spirit of both artist and audience, while curating spaces where her ministry, her movement, and her words work together to empower all involved. She is an artist who believes dance is an experience; Physical, emotional, energetic, musical and spiritual; It should be felt on all planes. She is the winner of the 2016 Capezio Award for Choreographic Excellence and has been featured in Dance Spirit Magazine, Dance Lifestyle Magazine, Dance Magazine as one of 2017’s “Top 25 to Watch”, and on the cover of Dance Teacher Magazine.
Martha has performed on awards shows such as MTV'S VMA’s, The American Music Awards, The Oscars, and The Billboard Awards. Other credits include, Cirque Du Soleil, GAP, Disney, X-Box, NBA, X-Factor, Dancing With the Stars, Top 10 So You Think You Can Dance (Season 2), and more. She has toured internationally with Madonna, Rihanna and Kylie Minogue, performed with Jesse J, Ne-Yo, Christina Aguilera, Nicki Minaj, Neil Patrick Harris, Dick Van Dyke and was featured in Emmy Award Winner, Travis Wall’s “Hollow Suit” among many other performances. Martha can be seen in the films ‘The Marc Pease Experience’, ‘La La Land’, ‘Ted 2’, ABC’s remake of ‘Dirty Dancing’ and is featured in ‘The Greatest Showman’ as the “Woman in Gold” alongside Hugh Jackman. Martha has recently finished her season with contemporary choreographer Peter Chu’s “CHUTHIS”, her season as a principal soloist with The Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center in New York City and can be seen in “In The Heights” the feature film releasing in 2021.
In 2016 Martha founded her dance company ‘Martha Nichols Dance’ and won The Capezio A.C.E. Awards with her piece / T I L T E D /. Martha has showcased works at The Joyce Theater, Fire Island Dance Festival, Symphony Space, The Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, and in 2017 was Artistic Director and Choreographer of ’The Wider Sun’ at The Beverly O’Neil Theater in Long Beach, CA. Martha choreographed and was featured in Moses Sumney’s Music Video “Worth It”, and was Assistant Choreographer on Madonna’s 2015 ‘Rebel Heart’ Tour, ’B****, I'm Madonna’ Music Video, Demi Lovato's 2011 ‘Unbroken’ Tour, and a Contributing Choreographer on Mariah Carey's 2014 ‘Elusive Chanteuse’ Tour. Martha also staged and choreographed Ke$ha’s powerful 2018 Grammy performance of “Praying” and “Bluffin” on Khalid’s Free Spirit World Tour. Other commissions include Princeton University, Boston Conservatory, Point Park University, Pace University, ‘The Cher Show’, and MJ The Musical both on Broadway. Martha recently released her first short film, “How We Left”, and debuted her latest work, “Welcome Home, Louis” in collaboration with jazz pianist and composer Christian Sands, for the Louis Armstrong House and Museum.
With over 15 years experience, Martha’s class is like no other. Combining all that she knows with what she feels, Martha's class has a technical foundation, but welcomes the untrained dancer. Her class is a space where musicality, technique, shapes, groove, texture, and intention all become one. She teaches master classes at all over the world including Italy, Costa Rica, Mexico, Australia, Israel, and South Africa. In the US previously on NUVO Dance Convention, New York City Dance Alliance, The Edge Performing Arts Center (LA) and Millennium Dance Complex (LA). Martha is currently on faculty at Broadway Dance Center in New York City.
In addition to this, Martha continues to teach and speak both nationally and virtually. Inspiring audiences, empowering youth, honoring her culture, and sharing the love and goodness of Christ.