I got to experience the magic of aerial dancer Nichole Raab last month at the Newport Art Museum's annual summer gala, Night at the Museum: A Beaux Arts Ball. When I entered the museum that evening, I was delighted by the sight of Nichole, wearing a pink mask and white wig, suspended in a bed of white fabric near the ceiling. It took me a few moments to notice her, but then I couldn't stop staring at her with a big smile on my face. It was a charming sight that set the tone for a lovely evening.
Later in the night, Nichole captivated the crowd with a surprise performance. Seeing her maneuver fluidly from one acrobatic pose to the next while hanging from red silks was a wondrous sight.
To read about Nichole, who has combined her love of aerial dance with sailing through the program she founded, The Art of Sailing Project, on the Tall Ship Sloop Providence, check out Jamie Gillette's interview in this week's Mercury.
Photos by Jacqueline Marque