Named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch,” Nic Gareiss (he/they) has been hailed by the New York Times for his “dexterous melding of Irish and Appalachian dance” and called “the most inventive and expressive step dancer on the scene” by the Boston Herald. He reimagines movement as a musical practice, recasting dance as a medium that appeals to both eyes and ears. Gareiss engages many percussive dance traditions, weaving together a dance technique facilitating his love of improvisation, clog, flatfoot, and step dance footwork vocabulary, and musical collaboration. In 2020 Nic received the Michigan Heritage Award, the state’s highest distinction bestowed on traditional artists. He has performed in sixteen countries at venues including London’s Barbican Centre, the Irish National Concert Hall, the Munich Philharmonic, and the Kennedy Center.