Nikeata Thompson: “Dreams are created in stillness and motivation can be found in motion”

INTERVIEW BY NANE STEINHOFF

Professional actress and choreographer Nikeata Thompson is best known for her appearances in Germany’s Next Topmodel, Got To Dance and Masters of Dance. We met up with her to talk about her acting career, her latest project Pauline, and the significance of founding her own dance agency.

Discover Germany: You have danced professionally for a long time. What advice would you give to young dancers to establish themselves in the industry?

Nikeata Thompson: “Dare to dream and keep following your dreams. Continuous practice and presence are the keys to success. I am convinced that hard work pays off. My own path was quite unpredictable, but that’s exactly why I strongly believe that you can draw strength from your own dreams. In the beginning, I had no concept, no business plan – I just wanted to dance. I was driven by my great passion and even greater will to make my own dream come true. Now I help others to pursue their own path.”
Discover Germany: In addition to your success on Germany’s Next Topmodel or Got To Dance and Masters of Dance, you also founded the NT Dance Agency. What is the background? What do you want to achieve?

Nikeata Thompson: “In fact, many people have gotten to know me as a judge from several TV shows such as Got to Dance, Masters of Dance or Germany’s Next Topmodel alongside Heidi Klum. What most people don’t know is that long before my TV career, I was already working as a choreographer and also brought dancers and productions, musicians and artists together, back then with my flip phone. In 2011, I founded my agency NT AGENCY, which is now one of the most successful dance agencies in Germany. Today, we represent over 150 talents, providing them with job opportunities in TV, cinema and stage productions such as The Voice Of Germany. We aim to give young, up-and-coming talents the chance to be booked by clients and artists and to receive professional support in the process. Our mission is simple: We believe that dancers – including new dance styles – should be accepted as complete artists, and that they should be able to fulfill their dreams and bring joy to a large audience with their art. We are also responsible for ensuring good work conditions and fair payment.”

Nikeata Thompson: “Dreams are created in stillness and motivation can be found in motion”

Photo: Tatsiana Tribunalova

Discover Germany: Your latest project Pauline is currently streaming on Disney+. What can viewers look forward to?

Nikeata Thompson: “The viewers can look forward to experiencing the perfect contrasts between good and evil. The young actors embody angels and devils who fall in love despite all the odds. Showing that opposites can attract. With an intense storyline, action-packed scenes, direct humour and mysterious characters with inexplicable superpowers, Pauline has everything the perfect binge series needs, to draw you in under its spell.”

Discover Germany: What did you love most about the shoot?

Nikeata Thompson: “My personal highlight is the extraordinary, talented cast and the very familiar vibe that we had – both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. It was a very memorable time that I always treasure. With Sira, my daughter in the series, I immediately felt a close connection that continues to this day.”

Discover Germany: What do you love most about your role in Pauline? How did you prepare for it?

Nikeata Thompson: “My character ‘Carla’, who seems to have lost all hope after the loss of her husband, refuses to give up. She is a good soul. She loves her daughter more than anything and supports her in realizing her dreams, even if this means that she has to part with her daughter for a while. Her daughter’s determination and desire for freedom also inspire Carla herself not to lose sight of her own needs and to take on the responsibility for her own happiness. To make sure I’m as prepared as possible for my role, I study a lot, I take acting lessons, and I practice a lot by myself. With my background as a former professional dancer, I was self-taught through my own efforts. Continuously working on myself and always accepting new challenges is important to me, as I know that this is a very essential way I can develop and grow mentally and within my artistic abilities.”

Photo: Tatsiana Tribunalova

Discover Germany: How did you become an actress? What do you love most about the profession?

Nikeata Thompson: “I actually had my acting debut on the big screen next to Jella Haase in Lollipop Monster in 2011. I recently had the pleasure to work with her again for the very successful Fack Ju Göthe sequel Chantal im Märchenland directed by Bora Dagtekin. After over 20 years in the entertainment industry, it’s always something very special to share a project with a group of great talented actors over a longer period of time which allows you to grow closer together. It has this kind of family character to it and that’s what I particularly appreciate about acting, as well as the opportunity to shape-shift and to take on different roles.”

Discover Germany: Why did you choose to live in Berlin? What do you love about this city?

Nikeata Thompson: “In fact, Berlin offers such a variety of great places and activities, that even after more than 20 years in this city, I am still discovering new spots regularly. The city is pretty much as wide-ranging as I am myself.”

Discover Germany: Your favourite place or activity in Berlin?

Nikeata Thompson: “At the beginning of 2020, I moved my agency office to Prenzlauer Berg and have really come to love this part of town. The social interaction in the neighbourhood, the many interesting people and, above all, the kids make this area a unique place to be. Even after four years, I still discover new restaurants, cafés, and new spots where to enjoy life. But I also love walking around the urban side of the city in Kreuzberg or strolling through the small boutiques in Mitte. To recharge my batteries and simply enjoy some peace and quiet, I also like to get out a bit further into nature. Berlin simply has something to offer for every walk of life.”

Photo: Rakuto Makino

Discover Germany: What else is planned for 2024? Any more exciting projects in the pipeline

Nikeata Thompson: “2024 is an absolute adventure for me personally. Pauline is finally out on Disney+ and I have wrapped my first role in the main cast which will be coming out soon. I’m still able to realise various great projects with my company NT AGENCY. Among others for artists such as Cro, the Elevator Boys or Sadeck Waff, for whom me and my team have provided 40 dancers for the UEFA Euro2024 in Berlin at the Brandenburg Gate. 2024 is already bringing a number of highlights and I am excited and open to everything that is yet to come.”

Discover Germany: What other wishes and dreams do you still have?

Nikeata Thompson: “My main wish for the future is to be healthy. And to bring more balance into my everyday life, both personally and professionally. I wish to find a way to bring more peace and quiet into my busy schedule. I can actually very well imagine one day swapping city life for a new countryside life and working with people in a new environment, because I believe that dreams are created in stillness and motivation can be found in motion. I wouldn’t want to swap the big screen though. But I wish to find a beautiful place in the countryside where I can recharge my batteries.”