K A Ō S
KAŌS is a growing collective of artists creating immersive, mixed media performances that make dance more accessible, relatable, and engaging for wider audiences.
KAŌS has presented works for organizations such as NYS DanceForce, the Lake Placid Center for the Arts, Movement Research at the Judson Memorial Church, and Historic Saranac Lake. They have held residency at TOPAZ ARTS as the AAPI Artist in Residency and at Green Space as a member of the 2022-2023 D.I.G. cohort.
Nikaio Bulan Sahar Thomashow
Founder — Director — Collaborator
I am a choreographer, dancer, composer, and educator who directs collaborative performance works. As a biracial, queer, and neurodivergent artist, I use interdisciplinary storytelling as a tool for self-investigation, healing, and empathy. I encourage collaborators, students, and audiences to embrace multiplicity and authenticity with curiosity.
“It felt extremely personal and resonated with a lot of feelings that I had regarding identity but never really put as much thought into. There were moments where I was weeping and moments where I was laughing and throughout all of it, I felt emotionally connected to the performers which made it such a refreshing experience... Nikaio is a kasama, and they revolutionize through art.”
Nikaio Bulan Sahar Thomashow (they/he) is a mixed Jewish and Filipino-American dancer, composer, choreographer, and educator originally from the Adirondacks in Northern NY. Nikaio graduated from Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences in 2018 with a degree in dance. Their thesis on performative identities explored the bounds of how bodies are affected by a person’s history and how this can influence the quality and production of movement. Nikaio has worked with companies such as Rebecca Kelly Ballet (NYC), Les Grands Ballets Canadiens (Montréal), Neos Dance Theatre (Ohio), and Daloy Dance Company (Philippines). They have taught for a number of schools in Northern NY and Vermont, including the Lake Placid School of Dance, and they are a current teaching artist for the Misty Copeland Foundation as part of the inaugural cohort for BE BOLD. In 2024, Nikaio was given the Jadin Wong Artist of Exceptional Merit award by the Asian American Arts Alliance.
