NSCD is delighted to share the news that 2014 graduate Jamaal Burkmar is the winner of the prestigious 2015/16 New Adventures Choreographer Award (NACA). Chosen from nearly 100 people, Jamaal was shortlisted with six other emerging choreographers: Corey Baker, Tara D’Arquian, Alexandra Green, Eleesha Drennan, Andrew McNicol and Matt Nicholson. Jamaal was chosen after a weekend of interviews chaired by Matthew Bourne and his team of distinguished judges.

Jamaal will now receive 12 months of mentoring and support to develop new work to be presented by New Adventures, at his own showcase performance, at a London venue in the Autumn of 2016.

Matthew Bourne said today “After an insightful weekend of deliberation and debate Jamaal was a clear favorite of our judges from this year’s short-listed applicants. We were all impressed by Jamaal’s potential to be a leading choreographer. His exploration of movement through eclectic music choices coupled with his desire to share his personal journey through his choreography make him an exciting and deserving winner.”

Jamaal Burkmar said today “I’m thrilled and delighted to have won this year’s award and to be following in the footsteps of such brilliant previous winners. I can’t wait to get started on developing new work and showcasing it to the industry next year.”

During his time at NSCD, Jamaal flourished as an artist and enjoyed great success with his first piece of work, Ocean, which he made in his second year. Ocean was reworked on VERVE, the postgraduate performance company of NSCD. This commission marked the first time an undergraduate had been given the opportunity to work with the company and led to Ocean touring across the UK and Europe alongside three other works by Lea Anderson, Ben Duke and Goddard/Nixon. Since graduating from NSCD Jamaal has created works on youth and graduate companies and has had opportunities to work with students at both NSCD and LCDS.

Photo: NACA 2015 – Jamaal Burkmar and Matthew Bourne, by Danilo Moroni