Get to Know Us

In 1994 Biserk Dance Company was founded by Sarah Bishop and Nickely Burke.  Biserk was based in Oxford, South-East England.  Biserk became company-in-residence at The Mill Theatre in Banbury and later the Pegasus Theatre in Oxford.  The company created and produced contemporary dance pieces and toured the work. 

The company employed around 20 artists – made up of dancers, composers, digital artists, lighting designers and costume/set designers.   

Biserk collaborated successfully with other choreographers, most notably Aletta Collins (UK) and Hervé Robbe (France).  The company successfully secured funding through Arts Council England, and toured extensively in the UK, offering educational residencies alongside the professional work. 

During this period Artistic Director & Choreographer Nickely choreographed 20 professional full-length contemporary dance pieces for both Biserk and other independent commissions.  Nickey was also teaching dance to full-time students for Abingdon College and at her own school, Oxford Contemporary Dance School. 

Since arriving in Australia Nickely has been teaching contemporary dance on the Advanced Diploma, Diploma and Certificate IV registered training courses at The Australian Conservatoire of Ballet, and later the Melbourne Conservatoire of Ballet.  Since 2012 Nickely has also been teaching Contemporary Dance & Hip Hop at BDC Dance Studios in Ashwood, the new premises for Biserk Dance Company. 

Nickely is very excited to be able to take the opportunity to share her love of contemporary dance with others, and to be able to take learners on a valuable artistic learning experience.   

Biserk Dance Company has always celebrated the differences in art and people, rejoicing in original movement, the unusual and the quirky.