For a full chronolgy of work made by Biserk please go to the history page.

Nickely Burke, Artistic Director: Choreographer, dancer, teacher
Nickely is co-founder of Biserk Dance Company and has many years experience in dance, theatre and television. Prior to leaving Australia she gained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Film and Television. On her arrival in London she worked for the BBC until 1994 when she opened Oxford Contemporary Dance School. Nickely danced with Lissomlore Dance Company for one year, before setting up Biserk with Sarah Bishop.

Nickely has choreographed 11 professional dance pieces with Biserk to date. In 1996 she was the winner of the Southern Arts and Thamesdown Dance Choreographic Award. Nickely is a regional dance artist and works for various performing arts colleges as dance teacher and choreographer. Nickely has worked with choreographers Aletta Collins, Yael Flexer and Hervé Robbe. She spends summers participating in professional dance workshops in Vienna.
Nickely combines professional work with community teaching in and around Oxford. Nickely is known in Oxfordshire for her outstanding contribution to youth dance in both contemporary dance and hip-hop. She also takes teaching/choreographic work in Spain, France and Vienna. More recently Nickely performed in Gill Clarke’s piece commissioned for Made in Oxford at the Pegasus Theatre...

Ryan Saunders, Actor
Ryan trained at The Oxford School of Drama and graduated in July 2008. He is a classically trained actor with a very high level of movement and dance skills. Before training he was always involved in the contemporary dance world and while training he then became actively involved in Yoga. Ryan has recently played Julie Gordan in Paradise Lost directed by Jonathan Humpheys at the Southwark Playhouse. Before that he played Orsino in Twelfth Night at The Theatre, Chipping Norton. During his time at OSD he undertook workshops in comedy, Inprovisation and devising physical theatre. Ryan is based in London and is represented by Rogues and Vagabonds Management.

Sarah Bishop, Associate Director. Dancer, teacher and freelance choreographer
Sarah is co-founder of Biserk Dance Company. She trained to Advanced Level in Ballet and Modern Dance and went on to study Expressive Arts at Brighton Polytechnic. Sarah has taught extensively and choreographed two professional dance works and 35 youth pieces.

Currently working as a freelance Dancer/performer, teacher and Choreographer, she also teaches Contemporary Dance at The Jill Stew School of Dance, Witney; with Anjali Dance Company; Wood Green School; and tutors BTEC Dance at Chipping Norton School.

Recent freelance performance work: with Charlie Morrissey, Small Wonder, a Site Specific piece, "Where The Land Meets The Sea" on Brighton Beach and with Gill Clarke, Choreographic Commission Project for dancin' Oxford Festival 2007. Other recent projects include Camouflage/Unlikely Partners pilot project with The Army Powerlifters Union, film-maker Becky Edmunds and Theatre Specialist Katharine Markee(Gecko).WOSSP (West Oxfordshire School Sports Partnership) performance projects and choreographing on young dancers with disabilities for mini and young Anjali for their Gala Performance 2008.

Jo Lott: Dancer
Josephine Lott studied dance at The Place before taking a degree in Italian and Film. As well as dancing with Biserk for the past four years she is also a dance film-maker and choreographer. Jo is the winner of the OXDOX 2007 Award for best dance film. When not dancing she also produces music videos for Warner Bros and works freelance for the London Film Festival and shootingpeople.org.

Kiera Martin: Dancer
Keira Martin trained in traditional Irish step dance at an early age in South Yorkshire, which she competed on at an international level. Graduated from The Northern School of Contemporary Dance and then furthered studies at New School for Dance Development in Amsterdam. Performed professionally with Charlerio/PlanK, Biserk Dance, State of Emergency, Bermuda Dance Co, Nathan Trice Dance Rituals, Spirit of The Dance and undertaken projects with Jonathan Burrows, Yolande Snaith, Bawren Tavaziva, Beth Cassani, Donald Edwards, and Yael Flexer. She has taught, choreographed and co-ordinated youth projects up and down the country. Including the gypsy and traveller project with West Berkshire Council Berkshire. More recently she has been creating her own work fusing Contemporary and Irish Dance. As director of Keiradance and resident artist at New Greenham Arts, her work is being toured throughout the year including South Bank Centre London. .

David Hudson, Dancer
David trained for three years at the Laban Centre London, working with choreographers such as, Athina Vahla, Gary Lambert and Amanda Gogh. A highlight of his early performing career, studying under Susan Sentler from the original Graham Company (U.S) was performing in the true recreation of Martha Graham's Acts of Light. Currently living in Ontario, Canada, David was recently the winner of Entertainer of the Year for his efforts both in choreography and Performance in Cabaret Showcases around the Province. David has been teaching and choreographing dance in and around Oxford for many years, and is known particularly for his outstanding work with boys contemporary dance groups. David has been a member of Biserk since 2002.

Rachel Whaley, Dancer
Rachel grew up in Sheffield where she started her training in contemporary dance and Physical Theatre. She moved to London in 2004 to further her dance training, studying a BA Honours at Roehampton University. After graduating in 2007 Rachel moved to Oxford to work as a freelance dance artist and teacher. She joined Biserk Dance Company in 2008 and performed in She Knows That You Know.