Nicola Leahey was born in Adelaide, South Australia. She began her movement training as a gymnast at age 7, then went on to train in contemporary dance and classical ballet, attaining the RAD Solo Seal at age 16. Nicola graduated from the New Zealand School of Dance in 2009. She joined Queensland based company Dancenorth, collaborating with Ross McCormack ([SIC], Nowhere Fast), Rob Tannion (FreeFall) and Raewyn Hill (MASS, The Cry). In 2011 Nicola relocated to Belgium and has since performed extensively in Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s works: Faun, Puz/zle for the premiere season at the Festival d’Avignon, in the operas Les Indes galantes, Satyagraha and Shell Shock, A Requiem of War for the Armistice Centenary at La Philharmonie de Paris, in the music video Valtari (Sigur Rós), Icon and Stoic in conjunction with GöteborgsOperans Danskompani and Nomad with 420PEOPLE. She has performed with Compagnie Thor (Clear Tears Troubled Waters, Cocktails, Revolt), Damien Jalet (Vessel for the Perth International Arts Festival), Ross McCormack/Muscle Mouth (AGE), Elie Tass and Lauren Langlois. Nicola has taught Faun repertory to the Royal Ballet of Flanders and the Bolshoi Ballet, and is a qualified yoga instructor. Most recently, Nicola performed in Skeleton Tree/ Stephanie Lake Company in Melbourne for Dance Massive.