MEET THIS YEAR’S DEBUT CHOREOGRAPHERS
Wednesday 5th March 2025, 3:30pm
Each year, NSCD commissions a diverse range of renowned choreographers to create groundbreaking new works with our students.
This year, we are particularly excited to announce that first-year BA (Hons) students are working with three exceptional NSCD Lecturers and practising artists: Antonio Bukhar, Keira Martin and Carlos J. Martinez. All three artists bring with them a wealth of experience in the dance world, having held key roles in companies and pushing the boundaries of dance in their own right.
The results of this creative journey will be showcased in DEBUT, taking place from Wednesday 26 – Friday 28 March. DEBUT marks a significant milestone in the students’ artistic development and is not to be missed.
Find out more about the show and how to book tickets hereAntonio Bukhar Ssebuuma
Antonio is an award-winning performer, dance choreographer, and teacher from Uganda. His artistic practice draws on a blend of styles, namely hip-hop, dancehall, breaking, afro-fusion, contemporary, house and indigenous Ugandan dances.
Antonio was awarded the Pina Bausch Fellowship in 2017 as a visiting dance scholar at the University of Auckland. He also received the Caroline Plummer Community Dance Fellowship at the University of Otago in 2019. Antonio’s artistic philosophy seeks to bridge the gap between street-based community arts practice and academia.
With over 15 years of dance experience, Antonio has worked in diverse cultural, artistic, and social contexts. These include disadvantaged communities in slums, orphanages and refugee centres; theatres, festivals, and schools in Uganda, Europe, and New Zealand. Antonio has worked with high-level academic institutions such as the University of Auckland, the University of Otago, Makerere University, Codarts Dance Center, Pacifika Institute of Performing Arts and the Norwegian College of Dance.
In 2024, Antonio created the piece Endeku, which explored the delicate balance between risk and care, using the fragility of the calabash to evoke these complex emotions. For his 2025 DEBUT work, Antonio will focus on Mutuba—exploring the art of barkcloth making and weaving cultural narratives into a performance that examines vulnerability as strength.
Antonio’s creative process thrives on collaboration, drawing from his experience in street and Afro styles while also engaging with contemporary-based students. Through this collaboration, students have developed a unique vocabulary of movement, exchanging ideas and experiences throughout the process. Antonio encourages students to trust the process and embrace experimentation, fostering a supportive environment for creativity and growth.
Keira Martin
Keira Martin is an exceptionally accomplished and versatile artist, award winning choreographer and film maker recognised internationally for her interdisciplinary approach, blending traditional and contemporary art forms. With a career spanning over 25 years, she has earned a reputation as a director, choreographer, performer, storyteller, singer, musician, mentor and facilitator.
A passionate advocate for cultural diversity and social justice, Keira’s work often explores themes of identity, gender, class, and culture.
Her choreography has been performed in renowned venues such as the Royal Opera House and Sadler’s Wells, and her work has taken her across the globe, from Bermuda to Brazil. Her extensive work with the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) community and dedication to grassroots engagement reflect her deep commitment to inclusive, accessible art.
For DEBUT in 2025, Keira will lead the students in a dynamic exploration of Irish heritage through the choreographic project TUATHA. This project will immerse students in Irish music, movement and history, engaging with the rich culture and stories of the Irish diaspora. Keira’s emotionally resonant performances and commitment to mentoring young artists will undoubtedly inspire the students to explore both physical and cultural identities.
Carlos J. Martinez
Carlos is a distinguished choreographer and performer with nearly two decades of experience in the dance world. His work often integrates movement, history and spirituality, exploring themes of identity, resilience, cultural fusion and invisibility.
Carlos is deeply committed to the preservation and dissemination of Afro-Cuban and African-Caribbean dance traditions. His research and practice explore the fusion of Yoruba religion, Cuban folklore and contemporary dance, incorporating elements of Santería, rumba, palo and son into his movement vocabulary. His dedication to this field was recognised when he received the Luna Award for Carmina Burana.
Carlos was a company dancer with Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, performing internationally, working with acclaimed choreographers. Following that, Carlos founded MalPaso Dance Company in Cuba and held roles as Assistant Artistic Director, Rehearsal Director, Choreographer and Principal Dancer. Carlos collaborated with The Joyce Theatre (New York) and the National Ballet of Cuba, producing award-nominated works such as Anoxia by Osnel Delgado and his own choreography, Equilibrium, which was a finalist in the Gran Prix Vladimir Malakhov.
Carlos worked as a freelance dance artist extensively across the UK and was a company dancer and choreographer with Phoenix Dance Theatre.
For his 2025 DEBUT project, Carlos will guide students through a fusion of movement, culture and spirituality – drawing on the rich traditions of Afro-Cuban dance to explore themes of strength, heritage and cultural expression.
