"My hope for my kiddos is to jump out for those dreams. Don't give up hope when things get tough. Keep going, keep trying."
Nicole Hicken (GISH Class of 2006), has found a way to make a positive impact across a community through the power of dance.
Nicole sits down with "The GIPS Cast" to share her journey of teaching summer dance lessons as a teen in her parents' basement to launching Studio N Dance Center which serves 280 students. Along the way, she salutes the GIPS teachers who inspired her and speaks to the power of self-expression through the Fine Arts.
Because it's more than just dance — it's about discovering who you are and what you love.
#WeAreGIPS
--
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Mitchell Roush 00:00
Mitchell, welcome back to The GIPS Cast -- a conversation based podcast exploring the voices of Grand Island Public Schools in Nebraska. I'm your host. Mitchell Roush, Communications Director here at GIPS, and as always, I am excited to bring to you new stories from all corners of one of Nebraska's largest, most diverse school districts, because here we're driven by our mission of every student every day, a success. We're glad you're here now. We're happy to be bringing you another installment of our alumni series. We like to call beyond GIPS every year, we like to do this, we check in with a few notable gi PS alumni to hear what they're up to in their careers and communities. Because part of what makes the work of public education meaningful is seeing how our graduates continue to do great things as lifelong learners. So today's featured guest for beyond gi PS is an entrepreneur. She's a deeply creative individual and is a proud Gish graduate from the class of 2006 but more importantly, she is making a positive impact in the lives of countless children and teenagers all across Grand Island through the power of dance. Nicole hicken is our guest today. Nicole is the owner and lead instructor of studio and Dance Center here in Grand Island. We're excited that she stopped by to share her story and her perspective on what makes Grand Island great. So give a listen to our conversation with Nicole.
Nicole Hicken 01:51
My name is Nicole hicken. I own Studio N Dance Center here in Grand Island. So I have the pleasure of working with kiddos and families day in and day out with the love for dance.
Mitchell Roush 02:02
Thank, you so much for being here, Nikki. I am really excited to hang out and to feature your story. So thank you for being here.
Nicole Hicken 02:07
Thank you for the invite! Super excited.
Mitchell Roush 02:10
Yeah, absolutely. So you're here because you are a product of Grand Island Public Schools. I sure am. So remind our listeners, when did you graduate from Senior High? 2006 2006 rock on. That's when I graduated.
Nicole Hicken 02:21
It was just yesterday.
Mitchell Roush 02:22
Yeah, totally! You've got a really cool story, and you are involved in a lot of things. I want to get to all of that. But, you know, obviously this is the podcast for our school district for Grand Island Public Schools, and so I'm interested, and I think our listeners are interested in hearing about your experience as a student here. So what was your experience at G-I-P-S or at Senior High?
Nicole Hicken 02:43
Yes. So it all started at Gates Elementary, way back when Go Gators! The same Gator sign is still there. That was there when I was a child. And then I moved on to, of course, Barr Middle School. It was middle school then not junior high, and then moved on to Senior High.
Mitchell Roush 03:00
Fabulous. So Gates Gator, Barr Bulldog and an Islander. That is awesome! Like you said, you own a dance studio here in town, so you're definitely artistically inclined. All things creative.
Nicole Hicken 03:10
Yes, spent many high school years in the musical and in the fine arts department.
Mitchell Roush 03:16
What sorts of things were you involved in through that department? Um,
Nicole Hicken 03:19
So I did serve on Color Guard, yeah, and that was a little bit of my high school life. Then, of course, musical, we had Beauty and the Beast. We had "Oklahoma!". We had "Secret Garden" on stage, making stuff, collaborating. Yes, of course, dance every night. Dance was life, yep.
Mitchell Roush 03:36
Throughout your experience at G-I-P-S and a student who is interested in the arts. What is one thing G-I-P-S helped you discover that propelled you where you are today?
Nicole Hicken 03:45
Ooh. I would say my organizational skills, yeah, like just really focusing on being organized, having your things together, prepared for you know, what's ahead?
Mitchell Roush 03:56
It's kind of a big deal like, right? In addition to the curriculum and the core classes and all the things that we're learning in class, right? Those practical things, soft skills organization, like that matters, yes, and that's just as much part of it. We're still hearing that all the time, too, by the way, like when we talk to business partners, like, what do you want your high school students to know before they come and work for you? They're like, soft skills organization, being on time.
Nicole Hicken 04:20
Yes, I would also say, like team building. We did a lot of team activities. Team building, obviously, putting on musicals. It took a whole crew of people from backstage to the dance core, I mean, whole lots of different things and leads. And we had awesome teachers leading the pack. So that was great.
Mitchell Roush 04:38
Absolutely. I love it, and I love that you had all those opportunities. Who's a teacher or teachers that had an impact on you throughout your time at GIPS?
Nicole Hicken 04:46
This is a tough one. I had a lot of amazing teachers. Some are still in the classroom today, which is really cool to see even my own children getting to meet some of the teachers that I had. So that's pretty cool. Full Circle, yes, full circle. I'm like they were probably. A new teacher when I was a kid. So it's great, yeah, oh my gosh. High school level, Mrs. Kenny was wonderful. Accounting, love for numbers. Loved her. Mr. Fox was great. Middle School, yeah, middle school going. I know he's still there his first year. I think was my freshman year in high school. I love Mr. Fauci, yes. And then let's see Middle School, like I had Mrs. Harper, Mr. Harper sea brands, like, just whole bunch of different people that were so great. Mrs. Kravka, like, just tons and tons. Mrs. Caskey, I mean, like, I could go on and on. I'm sorry, you have a roster. I'll just, I know I'll just list everyone for you Elementary. Mr. Gleason was our school principal, and he was diagnosed with cancer in like fifth grade, so we did prennies for the principal, and he's passed away since then, but his name is up in many of the buildings because of his influence on education. So he was definitely an influential part of my elementary years. Mrs. Glor was amazing fourth grade, she was big organization person. You had to have your planner and you had to have parent signature like she was very on top of that. And I think that those life skills are what makes me be more organized, or have those things ready for my clients or my families and my students, and I don't know even my own kids.
Mitchell Roush 06:18
And that's a really good transition when you talk about, obviously, the relationships you have with teachers are huge, but this is already becoming a theme right, which is there's so much more beyond just the two plus two equals four type of experiences. And so I want to hear more about that connection of some of these things that you learned about organization and numbers and responsibility, and how that translates into you as a business owner, right? Because you as you know, we have an entrepreneurship pathway at our high school now, which is really, really cool, and we've got so many students wanting to build their own things. And yes, it starts with a passion or a creative idea, but there are so many things that go into that. So how did some of these life skills, these soft skills that you picked up, like you're still using these every day in your job, right?
Nicole Hicken 07:04
Oh yes, oh yes, every day, multiple times a day. So I would say, like entrepreneurship wise. Obviously, it starts with the passion, the dream, that the why, right? Why do you do it? Why do you get up in the morning? Why do you go to work? But it's more than just that. It has to be the business side of it, the financial side of it. I mean, it has to be the staffing side of it, and the management, like facility can't just see me right, like the facilities when you know something breaks down, who's gonna take care of it, like all the nitty gritty. And we've even this is going into our eighth season, but the studio itself has evolved so much. We have like 280 dancers this year. Like, huge, huge, huge. I mean, my first season was like 125 so thinking of over seven years, that's how much we've grown from the beginning. And it started as a dream. My grandma in a dance studio. Oh, I didn't know that. Yep, yep. So I grew up dancing. My mom, of course, danced my aunt, for my grandma, and taught for her. My very first dance teacher taught for my grandma before she had her studio in Grand Island. Amazing. So dance to Grand Island Dance Center for many years anyway, just growing up through that and having that passion and always wanting to have my own studio, and then full circle, like, here we are.
Mitchell Roush 08:19
Talk to me a little bit about your dance studio, Studio N Dance Center. Yep, right is where you're at. And you said this is your eighth season. So how did this get started?
Nicole Hicken 08:29
Oh, man. So 2017 is when we first opened. In July, another studio was moving leaving town, so we took over that space and renovated and turned it into studio in so, yeah, I started with like four staff, like I said, we had about 125 kids, and started our first year recital at senior high, then moving into our season since then, you know, staff, some have moved some of change positions and things like that, but I have A solid staff of 10 people now, so it's awesome.
Mitchell Roush 09:03
So, you've been open for eight years. You've experienced a lot right between the kids, the families, the seasons, the competitions, the costumes, also pandemic, and coming out of that, all the things. But one thing that's interesting to me about your story and how you serve the community is you said you got 280 kiddos coming into your door every week, and like, my daughter's one of them, and she's in, I feel like she's in your studio every day, right? Which is great. I love that. She loves it, but like she's there a lot, but like, 280 kids from Grand Island and surrounding areas, you are connected to families in so many different capacities that are seeing so many different things. What is that like?
Nicole Hicken 09:42
It's, it's amazing. We do have kids in a lot of different towns, from St Paul, kids in Dannebrog, carro. We have kids in Wood River, kids in Shelton, like, yeah, all over Hastings coming to gi for dance. I'd say it's, it's all about the relationship. It's about. Up the getting to know the kids. You know, they have pets. They don't have pets. They have brothers and sisters, and this is where they go to school, and this is what they like, or this is what they don't like. Just building that relationship and leaving that lasting impact.
Mitchell Roush 10:12
And that community piece. It's been really cool to watch as my third grader goes through your program, and she has friends at school, but most of her friends at dance don't go to her school. And so like, this is this whole other opportunity to get to be connected and build friendships with peers that maybe she wouldn't be connected with in any other way. And you get to see that every.
Nicole Hicken 10:32
Definitely, definitely. And I love that friendships that build just outside of dance. Like, yeah, we have ballet class together. You know you're my friend in ballet, but then it's like, come to my birthday party, or let's go hang out, or your mom's become friends because of the lobby and hanging out the studio. And there's so many more relationships than just the student and the teacher in the classroom that evolve from the love of dance, and that's what I remember as a child too, just going to the competitions, attending those different activities, building those lifelong friends. I mean, I, I know Galilee danced with is a rocket New York. Like, it's different, you know, different things that they go on to do, and owning studios and staying in touch with people.
Mitchell Roush 11:13
Building connections that's that's so huge. And I think that is an invaluable thing that you're bringing to the community as well. Like the the actual experience of getting to create and find yourself and express yourself through dance is huge. But this other, this whole other thing of you, you can look to the ways you are cultivating connections and see how that makes the community stronger and feel smaller. Like, that's, that's an intangible thing.
Nicole Hicken 11:37
I would say, obviously, in sports, you might have those relationships and friends, and, you know, from your baseball team or your softball team or soccer, but dance is just unique in the way that you are, like learning music and choreography together, and then you're expressing it together. You're you're acting and putting on a story, and like, pulling the audience into that story of what you're performing. And that's the other piece I love to see, is the kids like their confidence, grow their leadership skills. I mean, there's so many things that you can get from a dance class. More than just how to dance, it's the following directions. You know, the simple things for the preschool kids, the following directions. Listen to a teacher standing in line waiting your turn, like those, those soft skills that you need to learn before you go to kindergarten, and then moving on up. I mean, our, we have tons of kids that are in high school, on those high school dance teams, dancing 6am practice, and then until 839 o'clock at night at the studio. And they are great students. They're striving, you know, for great grades and pursuing lots of different things.
Mitchell Roush 12:39
It's incredible to see, yeah. And it's, it is a world.
Nicole Hicken 12:44
Yeah, not Dance Moms on TV.
Mitchell Roush 12:47
No, it's really, it's really not. It's a good hang Yeah.
Nicole Hicken 12:50
It's a good hang out of fun, yeah.
Mitchell Roush 12:52
And so you clearly have a passion for inspiring students. So, and you've hinted at some of these things, but like, what is, like, your favorite thing about teaching dance? Because, like, this is what you do.
Nicole Hicken 13:01
I know I would say the end of the year recital, yeah, I always get emotional. The kids know it. They're like, think he's gonna cry, and it's okay. It happens this next year. Though, I have a couple girls graduating who've been with me since the beginning, so like, seven years of growing some started dance when I opened the studio. Now they're the third graders, like they were the tiny tats. They were the little two year olds. Yep, you know, eight years ago. So it's crazy to see them growing up and going, you know, going to school, and the big life moments that they have.
Mitchell Roush 13:33
Walk our listeners through recital. Because this is, this is a really big deal.
Nicole Hicken 13:38
It's a big deal. You could look at it as like the grandfather. Grand Finale. So all season long, the kids are learning technique, skills, all those different things throughout the fall semester. In the spring is when they start to learn their recital dances. We have costumes coming in, and then we put on a huge production in April. So sometimes it's multiple shows, because we have a lot of kiddos, a lot of families that want to come see them perform. But yeah, kids get on stage. They perform their end of the year dances, their parents, grandparents, cousins, teachers, friends, like whole bunch of people come to support them in that moment. And every year, it's so much fun to see the growth of like, this is what the kids did last year. This is what they're doing this year. This year. This is what they can do next year.
Mitchell Roush 14:23
And they get so much better throughout the year they do it's incredible how much they do.
Nicole Hicken 14:27
Theri growth is insane. And it's not just in the classroom, it's going home and practicing. Tons of them are tumbling at recess. You tell me about it all the time, absolutely sure their teachers don't love that, but don't get hurt.
Mitchell Roush 14:38
We had to put ground rules in our house on like, and I'm sure I'm not the only parent of like, telling our three or our third grader, like, you can practice in these spaces of the house, right? But not in these spaces.
Nicole Hicken 14:50
Yes, yes. Or when they get their first pair of tap shoes, and they're just like, tip tapping all over the place, uh huh. So much fun. They love it.
Mitchell Roush 14:58
Coming back to that full-circle moment. So I this year's a really big deal having your first class that has gone all the way through that is gonna finish up the program there, which is really, really cool to see. And I mean that, I think that's just a common connector, regardless of what type of education you're doing, like I talk to teachers in our district all the time, it's the same thing. I love seeing the kids graduate, right? It's just such a big thing. It's the same thing here, yeah, but your first one, so you're, you're probably going to be emotional.
Nicole Hicken 15:24
I know. I mean, I've had seniors over the years, but these girls have been at the studio for so many years, like since they were fifth graders, but next year is going to be even harder. Those kids were with me since fourth grade at the next year, you know. And even these little ones, like these third graders, when they graduate, and I don't know how many years, I don't want to think about it, that's gonna be a big, emotional season too, especially when they do pursue dance for so many years. Because some kids will do a couple years and move on to activities and sports, yeah, which is okay, like, find what you love and what you want to do.
Mitchell Roush 15:56
So obviously, you're from here. You grew up here. What? Is it like to not only be a business owner, but get to be a business owner and bring something to your home community, because that's a choice that you've made. What does that mean for you?
Nicole Hicken 16:10
Is like my lifelong dream since I was like 10, that's coming back to GI and having the studio side story when I was 13, had a little studio in my basement my parents house, yeah, just still there. My mom hasn't changed it. It's not storage, but it's still there. Historical icon it is. But the neighborhood kids would come over, like, two mornings a week and have class, and we put on a little show for their parents at the end of summer. And one of those girlies is currently in Denver's Bronco cheerleader, uh huh, just this year, and it started in your basement, and she was just like, four years old. I mean, like, she danced and went on to college and, I mean, done bunch of different things, but it's cool to see from that little neighborhood kid, and now she's pursuing her dreams and growing up. I know it is. And I have a lot of our parents. Several of them were classmates of mine back in school, or, you know, they knew through college and stuff. And then some kiddos that I taught dance to 12 years ago now have kids, and, like, they're starting to come to the studio, which is, like, full circle.
Mitchell Roush 17:16
It's happening. I'm not that old, but you're not that old, but their kids are coming.
Nicole Hicken 17:20
So exciting to see.
Mitchell Roush 17:22
This is just what you've wanted to do.
Nicole Hicken 17:25
Fabulous! Yeah, that's awesome. Dreams do come true. It does. It does.
Mitchell Roush 17:29
What's it like to be a business owner? You kind of talked a little bit about it earlier, but like, when it's show time and you have kids in your studio and you're teaching, that's your jam. But yeah, there's so much more that goes into that. And so I know we have listeners on this podcast that would be interested in that. We have listeners that have students in the entrepreneurship pathway, like just talk a little bit about what, what's the grind like to be a business owner?
Nicole Hicken 17:50
You're definitely working day in and day out. It's 10 o'clock at night, at 6am you're working on things. I think my biggest aha moment the last maybe two years as really protecting family time, yeah. And actually, in my student teaching experience, that was something that I had learned from Val Chmelka back at Dodge.
Mitchell Roush 18:07
Shout out to Val, yeah, she's still with us, doing awesome.
Nicole Hicken 18:11
Now, she's in media, right? She's a media specialist, but yeah, second grade way back when I was, like, her second student teacher, so it was a long time ago. But anyway, that was something that she had really taught me. I kind of forgot about it. But thinking of being a business owner like you, you need to designate that time for in the classroom, in the studio, teaching. But then also, here's my family time. But then the business side of it, it's payroll and paying bills, you know, taxes. It's managing staff, ordering costumes, organizing competitions. I mean, there's a lot of things that happen when the kids are not there, so lucky for me, I have daytime school hours where I can do things like that, knock some of those things out.
Mitchell Roush 18:52
Like costume ordering and organization is like a full time job in and of itself.
Nicole Hicken 18:57
It's so much fun. I'm lucky. I have lots of great moms that help with that too. But yeah, the sizing, the kids, ordering the costumes, picking them out, sometimes is a challenge, because there's so many to choose from, and they're all beautiful. Yeah, fluffy, sparkly, sparkly and fluffy with flair, yes, so making those decisions, but like I said, I have an amazing team, and I'm so thankful to have such a great staff to help put it all together.
Mitchell Roush 19:21
And you're growing. Yes, you're growing, yes, which is exactly what you want. Yeah, it's awesome to serve as many kids as you can exactly. That's cool impact as many lives as possible. What is your hope for your students? You got, you have 280 littles all the way up to high school seniors spending time with you in your studio every day. Yeah? What's your hope for them?
Nicole Hicken 19:41
I would say, to go on, pursue their dreams, reach out for their goals, but then also, like, don't forget the fun we had and the memories you made. And it's not about the winning at competitions or getting the high score or the Judge's Choice Award. It's like the I. The hard work that goes into it all. It's the grind, it's the practice, it's the perfection, it's I would say my hope for my kiddos is to jump out for those dreams. Don't give up hope when things get tough. Keep going, keep trying. Go for your goals and like from dance, it's not about just the trophy and the winning. Like you won't remember those things in five years or 10 years down the road. You'll remember the fun we had, the slumber parties at the studio, the Christmas parties. You'll remember the recitals. Like you'll remember those big fun moments more than anything.
Mitchell Roush 20:35
That's why you do what you do. And I can, I can tell you, if I get a little personal here, I mean, I could tell you personally, like, you're the way you have created the environment and opportunities and connections at your studio. Like, I like that was instrumental to my daughter finding her place in this community, and feeling like Grand Island was home. Like, it's a lot to move little ones to a new community, yeah? And we did that, and when she had a teacher at her school, and she had the dance studio, and once she had those two things, like, she really found like, she could be home here, and I'm grateful for that, because you're doing that for so many kids.
Nicole Hicken 21:13
Yeah, definitely.
Mitchell Roush 21:16
Thinking big picture about Grand Island, right? You've seen a lot in this community, and your time here and with your family. What is your hope for the Grand Island community as it continues to grow?
Nicole Hicken 21:27
I would say that same drive and passion for more like the growing and learning and changing and someday we might have two high schools. Someday we might have, you never know, we have a lot of elementary schools, yeah, just the growing and changing. And obviously we have a lot of new houses and houses and development and things, but, yeah, expanding.
Mitchell Roush 21:49
So as we kind of wrap up our conversation, Nikki, I ask everybody on the podcast the same question, because I just I'm fascinated by regular listeners. Hear me say this all the time. I'm fascinated by the answers, because there are just so many wonderful things so you who has students in the district, you're a product of the district. You are serving so many community students from our district. What's one thing about public education you wish folks better understood?
Nicole Hicken 22:15
I think it's the the hard, hard, hard work that goes into teaching kids day in and day out. I mean, if you think back, how did you learn how to read? How did you learn math? How did you learn all these life skills? And it's like it was a teacher, like, we need to thank them more. We need to do more for them.
Mitchell Roush 22:34
I couldn't agree. More teachers are the best. I mean, teachers are the best, yeah, and it's an incredible thing that they've signed up to do. Nikki, is there anything else you'd like to share?
Nicole Hicken 22:46
I don't think so. Thank you so much.
Mitchell Roush 22:48
Thank you for being here. Thank you for being being willing to share your story, and for all that you do for the Grand Island community.
Nicole Hicken 22:53
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Mitchell Roush 22:57
Thank you. Nicole hicken, proud GISH alum and owner of Studio N Dance Center, for sharing your story and making a positive impact in the Grand Island community. And of course, thank you, listeners for following along on this podcast. We wouldn't be here without you. So again, thank you. And if you enjoyed this episode, listeners of The GIPS Cast please give us a rating or a review on your favorite podcast platform, Apple podcast, Spotify, whatever it will help other people discover us along the way. And of course, our favorite reminder, be sure to check out www.GIPS.org that is GIPS.org our district website that is your hub for all of the resources, information, news stories, videos and fun things and helpful resources from Grand Island Public Schools. Of course, we will be coming back at you soon with some more great stories here on The GIPS Cast. Thank you!
--
