From My Life:

“Composer Bedřich Smetana’s String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor “From My Life” formed the luscious sonic landscape through which 10 dancers spiraled, windmilled and rocked -- men and women swooping through partnering sequences with infectious exuberance. A few fleeting moments in which the women lent support to the men while they arched backward brought a refreshing glimpse of ballet partnering unmoored from its typically rigid gender roles. In her short time working with the company, Haskins crafted movement in which the dancers looked completely natural and completely delighted -- which in turn delighted their audience.” – Lea Marshall, Richmond Style Weekly

 “From My Life by Nicole Haskins was a huge success. The audience seemed to really enjoy the classical movement and emotional choreography Nicole and Richmond ballet dancers were able to portray Tuesday night. I really enjoyed this piece because it wasn’t only classically beautiful, but Nicole also layered motions of chaos and tragedy. These movements were absolutely contagious I found myself swaying while still seated.” - Andrea Mayberry, GayRVA

 “Nicole Haskins…used lines and patterns and a balance of classical ballet and pedestrian movement in her work, “From My Life,” set to music by Bedrich Smetana. The stunning opening scene featured a line of 10 dancers tilting from side to side. The movement phrases that sprang from this included men dragging their partners or carrying them with childlike innocence — their legs wrapped around their partners’ waists — and unexpected bursts, as when one woman was suddenly lifted above the others at the end of a long line that ran perpendicular to the audience. There was a story in this somewhat melancholy and dreamlike work, if you felt a need for one, but the movement satisfied all on its own.” - Julinda Lewis, Richmond Times-Dispatch

With Alacrity

“Haskins’ With Alacrity was a statement of pure joy. Joy in the choreography; joy In the experience of performing; joy of sharing the material with an audience; joy of being in that moment and with that community. In terms of the relationship between dance and language, With Alacrity took a conceptual and multi-layered approach." - Heather Desauliers, SF Arts Monthly

...she is drowned:

“my favorite of the show... elegant and sensual” - Jim Carnes, Sacramento Bee

J-I-N-G-L-E BELLS:

"Haskins let two couples cut loose to James Pierpont's take on the old standard by Frank Sinatra and the Ralph Brewster Singers. The best joke for cognoscenti was the cygnets from "Swan Lake," arms entwined, prancing across stage for a couple of bars. [The dancers] embodied The Haskins language perfectly, with all the appropriate rhythms and nuances, and were more than happy to communicate them to the audience" - Amiee T'sao, The Mercury News

"proved a delight" - Allan Ulrich, San Francisco Chronicle

Joy to the World:

             “dancer Nicole Haskins' company outing to “Joy to the World,” …closes the first half with exuberant classical symmetries” –Allen Ulrich, San Francisco Chronicle

 Pieces of Eight:

“Pieces of Eight" further establishes Haskins as an artist to reckon with. Working with tension and dynamics playing off pivot points, she spotlights the company's strength in partnering.” - Jim Carnes, Sacramento Bee 

Poetry of Being: 

“The sense of joy in this world-premiere Poetry of Being is particularly felt in the dazzling feature of Terez Dean and Benjamin Warner as in the second movement they appear amongst a receding line of eight other dancers – backs now to the audience.  Their waltz-like movements contrast with sudden separations and then rushes yet again to entangle and pause in their sculpture of twisted, twirling limbs.  The reversal of costume colors as the two come back in the original, vibrant blue at the curtain’s close amidst the sea of flesh worn now by the rest is arresting…The combination of numbers of dancers from two to ten varies as individuals, couples, and trios glide in and out with grace and seemingly little effort.  Slanted bodies are slid by partners across great spans of the stage, only to be gently lifted to the music’s swell” – Eddie Reynolds, Theater Eddys

“Smuin dancer Nicole Haskins, The Poetry of Being, brings forth joy….its innocence and intricacies allow room for Haskins’s considerable promise as a relatively young choreographer to unfold…. Haskins might soon follow in Seiwert’s award-winning footsteps. Or, more likely, Haskins will carve out of her history a compelling path to claim as her own.” – Lou Fancher, San Francisco Classical Voice

“The visuals were not at all ostentatious, allowing Haskins’ vivacious choreography to eat up the space, unencumbered. Joyousness, buoyancy and forward motion pervaded the abstract work…Felsch and Kretz’s central pas de deux was a delight; a courtly duet abounding with intertwined arms and swiveling spins. With the stage bathed in a blue hue, there’s was a gorgeous, elegant skate through space and time.” – Heather Desauliers, SF Arts Monthly

 “Nicole Haskins’ world premiere opens the evening with a gentle, almost contemplative note. Five couples intertwine in Haskins’ intricate choreography with alacrity and precision.” – J.B. Rosari, SF Examiner

 “Haskins’ new work is quite lovely” – Virginia Bock, The Mercury News

“The program opened with Nicole Haskins’ The Poetry of Being. Haskins… divided her ten dancers into smaller groupings and paired duos which added sexual tension to the corps’ rank and file. She achieved dizzying effects using the full company in layers of motion across the stage. She also added assisted slides for the women, all in pointe shoes. This is Haskins’ first major work for Smuin—she has contributed to the annual Christmas program—and displayed a masterful range of styles and techniques. I am curious to see what she would do with a narrative concept” – Scott MacClelland, Performing Arts Monterey Bay

Fantasia:

“Clearly shaped, well balanced with a refined yet lively use of the emerald isle's love of leg work...Haskins gave the company a welcome holiday present. She will have to be watched as a choreographer” - Rita Felciano, San Francisco Bay Guardian

  “absolutely lovely...Haskins opted to mix types, genres, and structures to create a fun and unique hybrid. It was such a success.” - Heather Desauliers, SF Arts Monthly

Unconscious Surrender:

 “I particularly liked this dance....A constant flux of people suggested the flux of time, with incidents and accidents affecting people along the way. Yes in my estimation, the best of the dances!” - Marc Valdez, Sacramento Blogger

 “...lovely, touching, and sad” - Jim Carnes, Sacramento Bee 

Scars Already Seen:

            “Nicole Haskins is really an excellent choreographer, with a designer's eye, and full of interesting surprises. If there was anything wrong with the dance it was that the dance was too brief.” - Marc Valdez, Sacramento Blogger