Daring to Dance

Dancer Nic Lincoln, a McKnight fellow, uses dance to inspire and educate

Nic Lincoln says his McKnight Foundation fellowship will allow him to travel the globe to “inspire future dance-art.”

Image credit: Photo by Jim Smith

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Nic Lincoln says he sees dancing as an opportunity to inspire.

And he’s doing a pretty good job of it. As a proud advocate for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities, Lincoln has used his dance and choreography as a way to heighten society’s awareness of diversity.

“Dance is an all encompassing art form that includes the mediums of visual, theatrical and musical art, and therefore gives me the widest range to provoke people on an emotional and intellectual level,” Lincoln says.

It seems to be working.

Lincoln, who lives in Minneapolis, was recently named a recipient of the 2011 McKnight Artist Fellowship for Dancers. The award, he says, will enable him to travel the globe to “inspire future dance-art” and to commission a new solo work choreographed by Larry Keigwin that he hopes to premiere in September of 2012.  

“My life has been impacted positively in numerous ways due to the recognition from this award,” Lincoln says.

The McKnight work only adds to Lincoln’s already robust workload. He is performing his solo piece, “Dressage,” again in the summer of 2012, along with pieces by Megan Mayer, Kristin Van Loon, Penelope Freeh and Wynn Fricke.

But Lincoln has never been one to slow down. After training at the Interlochen Arts Academy and the Boston Ballet Summer Dance Program, he danced in roles by Roland Petite and Dennis Nahat and worked with companies like Dayton Ballet and Cleveland San Jose Ballet.

Lincoln has guest danced for the Ballet Minnesota, Minnesota Dance Theater, and the National Choreographer's Initiative, and he has been with the James Sewell Ballet for six years.

His works have also been premiered at venues such as the Walker Art Center’s Choreographer’s Evening and the Red Eye Theater’s Isolated Acts.

For Lincoln, the dancing is an extension of himself.

“Dance is integrated into who I am,” he says. “It balances me and forms me as a person.”

+ See all of our McKnight artist profiles here.