How Dancing Transformed Nika Kermani’s Mental Health After Depression
From booty-shaking to crying in the dish pit, we’re welcoming the breadth of human emotions with Nika Kermani of NK STUDIOS!
Nika is an artist, dance and yoga instructor, and the creative visionary behind NK STUDIOS, a repurposed autobody shop turned dance studio catering to movement, dance, art & community in Bingen, WA.
Nika lights up any room she walks into as she stunningly fuses music, movement and community.
But you can’t have the ups without the downs, as Nika eloquently shares today.
We talk about...
A childhood that gave Nika strength and confidence
How Nika discovered dance as a kid
Growing up with Persian culture and Bahá'í faith
Not knowing what it felt like to be truly sad
A season of depression after trauma
Moving to Israel, meeting a man and getting engaged soon after
Balancing the feeling of “this is what you’re supposed to do” with cold feet
Infidelity, a cancer diagnosis and a death all occurring in one week
Feeling like a zombie and just trying to exist
Movement (eventually) picking up where the words left off
The first time dancing after years sparking the start of recovery
Permission to feel good
Body image as a dancer
Movement is medicine
Saying no without making excuses
A partner is just one planet in your solar system, not your sun
You can be big and bold and take up space
Balancing passion, work and life
Why Nika teaches instead of only performing
Entrepreneurship in a small town
Your work doesn’t have to be your passion
Rest is a necessary part of Nika’s job
Programs at NK STUDIOS: dance, yoga, community classes like pole dancing, online classes
How to connect with Nika:
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Music: The Kind of Sandwich Island by Shut-ins
Thank you to The Ruins, the best wedding venue in Oregon, for supporting the show.