Nycole Ray
Choreographer, dancer, and educator based in Dallas, Texas.
Nycole Ray is a choreographer, dancer, and educator based in Dallas, Texas. A native of Detroit, Michigan, she holds a BFA in Dance from The California Institute of the Arts, with additional training at the London Contemporary Dance School, Wayne State University, and the California State Summer School of the Arts.
As a performer, Nycole danced with Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Bruce Wood Dance Dallas, Lula Washington Dance Theater, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II, and Zadonu African Dance Company. She has worked with choreographers including Donald McKayle, Dianne McIntyre, Alonzo King, Donald Byrd, Rennie Harris, Christopher L. Huggins, and Camille A. Brown. Bruce Wood created the solo The Edge of My Life… So Far for her.
Her choreography has been commissioned and performed by Texas Ballet Theater, The Dallas Opera, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, DBDT: Encore!, and Bruce Wood Dance Dallas. In 2025, she was one of three choreographers selected for Texas Ballet Theater's International Woman program—the company's first commission of women choreographers in 20 years.
From 2009 to 2024, Nycole served as Artistic Director of DBDT: Encore!, Dallas Black Dance Theatre's second company, where she mentored emerging professional dancers. Over 60% of DBDT's current company members trained under her direction.
Nycole is a certified Dunham Technique Instructor. She received the Natalie Skelton Award for Artistic Excellence from the Dance Council of North Texas in 2013 and was named one of D Magazine's "Women Who Make Dallas Great" in 2021.
She is available for choreography commissions, guest artist residencies, master classes, and speaking engagements.