Ania Nikulina is a research assistant professor and a lecturer in the Theatre Department at Binghamton University. Her work explores state-sponsored ballet as a place where cultural projects and government politics meet, often in moments of tension and transition. She focuses especially on the history of ballet performances and dance training in post-Soviet theaters and schools.

Her current book project, Dynamic Borders: Ukrainian Ballet in Transition, examines how ballet communities in Ukraine both change and respond to shifting political structures. This work is particularly significant in the current context of the Russian–Ukrainian war, where cultural institutions and schools face instability and underfunding yet continue to show resilience, creativity, and determination in keeping dancing communities and artistic life alive.