Hi, I’m Nikki Renée.

The Last Dancer is symbolic of the dedication and passion in being born to dance, and encompasses the lifestyle that comes with being a dancer.

When I started this shop + blog, I was searching for support to keep dancing. As a former professional dancer, I expected this to be fairly easy but found a lack of resources, respect and opportunity in ballet for adults. Since the articles were first published in 2014, I have experienced a change in this genre and am optimistic for the future of lifetime study in dance.

I graduated from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago and have a digital design company with my business partner, Linda Oeffling and associate extraordinaire Nicole Rhino. Outside of The Last Dancer, I enjoy spending time with my three boys, who are usually on a baseball field and taking photos of my Persian cat, Snowbelle. I love to thrift, act, sing, swim and ski and the favorite place I have ever lived is Venice Beach. Each year, I try to dedicate more time to art, like my mom and my grandfather have done in painting.

My work and life are completely intertwined. Most days I have my hair in a bun and wear my ballet slippers as socks in my shoes. Not as often as I’d like to but when I can, I take adult ballet classes at Naples Academy of Ballet, Barrington Dance Academy, Judith Svalander School of Ballet and practice Gyrotonics at Expand Movement and Wellness. After 45 plus years of dancing, I always discover something new when I am dancing and it has become my spiritual space.

While there are differences in individuals, there’s a beautiful agreement in the familiar saying, “They’re Dancers”.  Art enhances emotion and my hope is that this space inspires you to keep going and growing too.

Merde!