About Us
Who We Are
Nicki Ray Productions prides itself on having over 20 years experience in the professional entertainment industry. We are passionate about the performing arts and the value of this in our society.
All performers are handpicked and the best that you can find. Performance and corporate entertainment, promotions and youth development through the performing arts.
Everything you need from dancers to singers fire throwers and stilt walkers, we have what you need to bring that extra something special to your event. We service the corporate entertainment industry with talented and trained professional performers. A variety of dance styles from..
- Hip hop
- Contemporary
- Pantsula
- Indian
- isiZulu
- isiXhosa
- Ballet
- Cheerleaders
- Cabaret
And many more to be bring that extra class to your event.
Be it a huge birthday bash with mind blowing fire acts and towering characters on stilts, to fire jugglers and living-singing red carpets welcoming your guests, our bespoke costumes will be unique to the needs of your event. We also have a host of trained product promoters who know how to characterize and represent your brand.
About Nicki-Ray
Early Years
K
L
- Nicki started dancing, in the style of ballet, with Shirley Dickson based at St Thomas Senior Secondary at the age of seven years old.
- She was also gymnast who excelled at provincial and national competitions.
- She did her high schooling at St Thomas senior secondary school, where she excelled at ballet as a matric subject.
Tertiary Training
K
L
- Nicki did her tertiary training at The Waterfront Theatre School in Cape Town, in the performing arts for four years.
- Here, she obtained her advanced and teachers’ certificates in ballet and modern dance and obtained her advanced jazz and tap diplomas.
- She also gained her performers certificate in speech and drama through the Trinity college of London.
Professional Work
K
L
- Her first professional show was the musical Phantom of the Opera, in 2004.
- She went on to live in the UK for two years, where she furthered her exposure to the arts.
- She has worked extensively in corporate entertainment nationally.
- Her main film credits include was Zulu, 2013, where she had a speaking role opposite Orlando Bloom, featuring Forest Whitaker and Denise Newman.
- Her corporate performance experience is extensive, having graced countless stages and events, in addition to adverts, roadshows, music videos, youth development projects, outreach projects, as a performer and facilitator.
Further Studies at NMMU
K
L
- Upon returning to the bay, she has furthered her studies at the Nelson Mandela University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English and French.
- Followed by an honors degree in English literature.
- She also worked at their Department of Arts, Culture and Heritage as Arts Officer, focusing on bringing more arts to the development of students.
- In this time, she led three student groups to the National Arts Festival for the productions: Umjuxuzo, I Mpilo Y Amanzi, and, Love in the Time of Revolution, in collaboration with Dane Hurst from the Moving Assembly Project.
Madibaz Cheerleaders
K
L
- Nicki was also the manager and head choreographer of the Madibaz Cheerleaders
- They went on to win the national championships in 2015, 2016 and 2017, undefeated for three years in a row, on the Varsity Sports Cheerleading Sports Circuit, until the discontinuation of the tournament.
Arts Activist
K
L
- In her time at the Nelson Mandela University, she acted as a fierce arts activist, campaigning for the formalization of dance and drama at the institution, through her work in the performing arts, specifically with dance and drama.
- Here, she also acted in the role of Deputy Director occasionally, where she oversaw the department and its outputs at the Nelson Mandela University.
- During the Covid 19 pandemic, her passion which had been operating in a freelance capacity for several years, was formalized.
Founded Nicki Ray Productions
K
L
- She founded the entertainment, corporate promotion and activations, team building and skills development company, Nicki Ray Productions.
- This company has been growing from strength to strength, providing entertainment for top corporates in the city, such as the Boardwalk, Continental, Isuzu, Axxess, Algoa Fm, Nelson Mandela University, Woolworths, Spar, Edward Snell, Galaxy Bingo, The Bridge, KFC, Eastern Province Athletics, The Radisson, Sunrisers and more, on an ongoing basis.
Founded Nicki Ray Academy of Performing Arts
K
L
- This was followed by the founding of the Nicki Ray Academy of Performing Arts, which develops and trains youth in the arts, whilst creating the future performers of the production company and the world.
- These have a strong focus on training and development of youth through the performing arts.
- She presently is a guest lecturer at AFDA, where she equips film and live performance students with skills of movement and prepares them for the professional industry.
- She is also the head facilitator of the Sarah Baartman Centre of remembrance project’s Dance and Drama Skills development program.
- She remains committed to being a part of bringing more dance to the city, and to using art as a weapon of social change, especially in the previously disadvantaged locales of the municipality.
Youth Development Projects
K
L
- Nicki is a passionate advocate of youth development through the performing arts.
- She has initiated projects such as The Performance Project, The Hankey Youth training project, and is determined to spread access to the performing arts to the previously disadvantaged areas of the metro, where the need is still extremely dire, and where such talent that needs development opportunities exists.
- She operates both organizations on a full-time basis, with a sturdy team of teachers and performers who have become household names and faces on the performance circuits of the city.
Finalist of the NMB Business Event Awards in 2023
K
L
- She was nominated and selected as a finalist of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Event Awards in 2023, in the newcomer category.
- This recognizes excellence in contributions made to the events sector of the metro.
- Her latest works include Womxn Warrior, which was staged at the Women in Arts Manyano 2023, and National Arts Festival 2024, choreographing A letter from Mother Ocean, (Commissioned by the South African International Maritime Institute), producing Press Start the Musical.
What's Next?
K
L
- She is looking forward to the growth of her performance academy’s footprint in the metro, and actively creating more development and employment opportunities for the talented youth and artists.
Early Years
K
L
- Nicki started dancing, in the style of ballet, with Shirley Dickson based at St Thomas Senior Secondary at the age of seven years old.
- She was also gymnast who excelled at provincial and national competitions.
- She did her high schooling at St Thomas senior secondary school, where she excelled at ballet as a matric subject.
Tertiary Training
K
L
- Nicki did her tertiary training at The Waterfront Theatre School in Cape Town, in the performing arts for four years.
- Here, she obtained her advanced and teachers’ certificates in ballet and modern dance and obtained her advanced jazz and tap diplomas.
- She also gained her performers certificate in speech and drama through the Trinity college of London.
Professional Work
K
L
- Her first professional show was the musical Phantom of the Opera, in 2004.
- She went on to live in the UK for two years, where she furthered her exposure to the arts.
- She has worked extensively in corporate entertainment nationally.
- Her main film credits include was Zulu, 2013, where she had a speaking role opposite Orlando Bloom, featuring Forest Whitaker and Denise Newman.
- Her corporate performance experience is extensive, having graced countless stages and events, in addition to adverts, roadshows, music videos, youth development projects, outreach projects, as a performer and facilitator.
Further Studies at NMMU
K
L
- Upon returning to the bay, she has furthered her studies at the Nelson Mandela University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English and French.
- Followed by an honors degree in English literature.
- She also worked at their Department of Arts, Culture and Heritage as Arts Officer, focusing on bringing more arts to the development of students.
- In this time, she led three student groups to the National Arts Festival for the productions: Umjuxuzo, I Mpilo Y Amanzi, and, Love in the Time of Revolution, in collaboration with Dane Hurst from the Moving Assembly Project.
Madibaz Cheerleaders
K
L
- Nicki was also the manager and head choreographer of the Madibaz Cheerleaders
- They went on to win the national championships in 2015, 2016 and 2017, undefeated for three years in a row, on the Varsity Sports Cheerleading Sports Circuit, until the discontinuation of the tournament.
Arts Activist
K
L
- In her time at the Nelson Mandela University, she acted as a fierce arts activist, campaigning for the formalization of dance and drama at the institution, through her work in the performing arts, specifically with dance and drama.
- Here, she also acted in the role of Deputy Director occasionally, where she oversaw the department and its outputs at the Nelson Mandela University.
- During the Covid 19 pandemic, her passion which had been operating in a freelance capacity for several years, was formalized.
Founded Nicki Ray Productions
K
L
- She founded the entertainment, corporate promotion and activations, team building and skills development company, Nicki Ray Productions.
- This company has been growing from strength to strength, providing entertainment for top corporates in the city, such as the Boardwalk, Continental, Isuzu, Axxess, Algoa Fm, Nelson Mandela University, Woolworths, Spar, Edward Snell, Galaxy Bingo, The Bridge, KFC, Eastern Province Athletics, The Radisson, Sunrisers and more, on an ongoing basis.
Founded Nicki Ray Academy of Performing Arts
K
L
- This was followed by the founding of the Nicki Ray Academy of Performing Arts, which develops and trains youth in the arts, whilst creating the future performers of the production company and the world.
- These have a strong focus on training and development of youth through the performing arts.
- She presently is a guest lecturer at AFDA, where she equips film and live performance students with skills of movement and prepares them for the professional industry.
- She is also the head facilitator of the Sarah Baartman Centre of remembrance project’s Dance and Drama Skills development program.
- She remains committed to being a part of bringing more dance to the city, and to using art as a weapon of social change, especially in the previously disadvantaged locales of the municipality.
Youth Development Projects
K
L
- Nicki is a passionate advocate of youth development through the performing arts.
- She has initiated projects such as The Performance Project, The Hankey Youth training project, and is determined to spread access to the performing arts to the previously disadvantaged areas of the metro, where the need is still extremely dire, and where such talent that needs development opportunities exists.
- She operates both organizations on a full-time basis, with a sturdy team of teachers and performers who have become household names and faces on the performance circuits of the city.
Finalist of the NMB Business Event Awards in 2023
K
L
- She was nominated and selected as a finalist of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Event Awards in 2023, in the newcomer category.
- This recognizes excellence in contributions made to the events sector of the metro.
- Her latest works include Womxn Warrior, which was staged at the Women in Arts Manyano 2023, and National Arts Festival 2024, choreographing A letter from Mother Ocean, (Commissioned by the South African International Maritime Institute), producing Press Start the Musical.
What's Next?
K
L
- She is looking forward to the growth of her performance academy’s footprint in the metro, and actively creating more development and employment opportunities for the talented youth and artists.