Heather Nichols began her training in Richmond, Virginia where she studied at the West End Academy of Dance, then spent two years in the School of Richmond Ballet, before becoming a Trainee/Corps de Ballet member with the Richmond Ballet from 2009 -2011. During her time in Richmond she danced under Stoner Winslett, Jerry Kumery, Malcolm Burn, Igor Antonov, Arnott Mader; and performed in The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, and  Giselle.  Throughout her training she has attended summer intensives at Joffrey Midwest, Atlanta Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Richmond Ballet, and Virginia School of the Arts. As a pre-professional dancers she was also part of a pre-professional company, perceptions Dance Company, with whom she performed many leading roles in their productions of The Nutcracker and various original works. From 2011-2015 she attended Butler University in the Jordan College of the Arts as a BA- Dance Pedagogy Major. During her time at Butler she studied under Patrick Hinson, Michelle Jarvis, Susan McGuire, Mariek Cholewa, Derek Reid, Stephan Laurent-Faesie, and took master classes from Sarah Lamb, Wendy Whelan, Gustavo Ramirrez, Christopher Roman, David Hochoi, and Pascal Rioult. During her time at Butler she held many roles in productions of "The Nutcracker" (The Sugar Plum Fairy), "Copelia", "Giselle", "Cinderella", "Sleeping Beauty", and Gerald Arpino's "Viva Vivaldi". Heather has also been a professional guest artist with the Eastern Virginia School for the Performing Arts as the Snow Queen in their "The Nutcracker".