From the Academy Awards and Grammys to television and international tours, Ho-Chunk tribal member and dancer Nico Lonetree has spent the past decade building a career alongside some of the biggest names in entertainment.

     Lonetree’s credits include performing with Ryan Gosling and Chappell Roan, touring with Lorde and Melanie Martinez, appearing on HBO’s “Euphoria,” and working with artists including The Weeknd, Christina Aguilera and Nine Inch Nails.

     One of Lonetree’s first major opportunities came around age 20, when he booked a tour with Lorde.  His career has continued to grow since.

     In 2024, Lonetree joined Ryan Gosling and dozens of dancers for the live “I’m Just Ken” performance at the Academy Awards. Performing in front of an audience filled with some of Hollywood’s biggest names brought its own pressure.

     “You could see Zendaya and Martin Scorsese and all these crazy celebrities,” Lonetree said. “So, it was really scary.”

     The following year, Lonetree was selected from an audition of more than 100 dancers to perform with Chappell Roan during “Pink Pony Club” at the Grammys. The dancers spent about three weeks preparing for the performance.

     Lonetree has also appeared on television, including in the final episode of the second season of HBO’s “Euphoria.” Along with dancing in the episode’s school play sequence, Lonetree landed a speaking part after the production asked dancers to audition for lines.

     “It was cool. I had a line and everything,” Lonetree said. “Usually as a dancer, you just dance.”

     His other credits include a music video with The Weeknd, a performance with Christina Aguilera and a Coachella performance with Nine Inch Nails. He has also worked on television and film projects, including helping develop movement for a character in a recent “Spider-Man” film.

     Lonetree is currently touring with Melanie Martinez for the second time. He originally landed the opportunity through an audition where roughly 100 dancers were competing for two positions.

     Despite the competitive nature of the industry, Lonetree said one of the biggest lessons he has learned is that success is not always about being the best dancer in the room.

     “Everybody’s good. Everybody’s amazing,” Lonetree said. “You just have to be the best person to work with. You have to have a good heart. You have to be happy; you have to love what you do.”

     Lonetree grew up in St. Paul and began dancing around age seven. After graduating high school, he decided to spend what was supposed to be a gap year in Los Angeles.

     Ten years later, he is still there.

     While Lonetree has worked on major productions throughout Hollywood and the music industry, he hopes to eventually have an opportunity that connects his Indigenous background with his professional career.

     “I would love to as a dancer,” Lonetree said. “I just grew up learning at powwows and stuff, and I would just love to do something like that.”

     Lonetree said he is encouraged by the continued growth of Indigenous representation in film and television.

     “It seems like representation is just going up and up and up and becoming more and more welcome,” Lonetree said. “So, I hope one day. That’s what I wish for.”

     For younger Indigenous people hoping to pursue their own careers, Lonetree offered simple advice.

     “Don’t let people tell you who you are or what you should be doing,” he said. “Just do exactly what your heart needs,’ Lonetree said. “If you really want what you want, just do it. Go for it.”