25 Years of Rhythm

Nicole Messina is an accomplished tap dancer, choreographer, and educator with more than 25 years of teaching experience. Her professional career began after competing in the 1999 Miss America Pageant, where she was a Top 10 finalist and Preliminary Talent Award winner for her tap dancing performance. Following the pageant, Nicole spent several years performing professionally as a dancer and actress. Her credits include appearances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Marquis Theatre on Broadway, and the Harris and Showboat Casinos in Atlantic City. She also toured nationally with Absolut Tap, a production choreographed by Aaron Tolson. In addition to her stage work, Nicole appeared in television, film, and commercial projects and served as a guest host on QVC. Nicole later shifted her focus to choreography and dance education, where she has earned widespread recognition for her work. She has received numerous regional and national choreography awards and is a 13-time Industry Dance Awards nominee for Best Tap Choreography.

Passionate about preserving and advancing the art of tap dance, Nicole founded Tap Impact, a youth tap ensemble dedicated to inspiring local communities through performance, education, and the rich history of tap dance. The group combines tap dance and spoken word to create meaningful and engaging artistic experiences. Throughout her career, Nicole has taught at dance conventions and festivals across North America, including Utah Tap Fest, Toronto Dance Expo, and SoFlo Tap Fest. She currently serves as guest faculty at Broadway Dance Center in New York City and Powerhouse Dance in New Jersey. She was recently ranked as the number twi most influential tap dance influencer on the 2026 Feedspot top 40 list. Nicole continues to share her passion for tap dance with audiences worldwide through educational content, choreography, and performance clips on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube under the handle @nicoletapz.