Kerry Nicholls

Kerry Nicholls

Director

Kerry is director and owner of Kerry Nicholls Dance (KND) which launched in autumn 2012. With nearly thirty years of acclaimed international experience in the dance sector, Kerry demonstrates agile leadership with the different strands of her practice coming together to drive the vision and direction of KND. KND has established itself as a strong and influential voice within dance organisations and institutions world wide through devising and delivering programmes of training, mentoring and professional development. Kerry embodies the values and spirit of the brand.

Kerry was appointed Co-Director of Creative Learning for Studio Wayne McGregor 2007 – 2011, the Artistic Advisor for English National Ballet School 2008 – 2015, Artistic Director of National Youth Dance Wales 2014-2018 and Interim Artistic Director for Scottish Dance Theatre in 2019. In 2014, Kerry was awarded a Lisa Ullmann Travelling Scholarship to embark on an extensive period of research in the USA, shadowing and assisting Liz Lerman and advancing her work in the Critical Response Process. Kerry has achieved extensive consultancy scopes for Studio Wayne McGregor, Central School of Ballet, Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, English National Ballet and Candoco Dance Company. In 2020, Kerry was appointed Executive Artistic Lead for English National Ballet.

Having taught regularly for Studio Wayne McGregor, DV8 and Michael Clark companies to name a few, Kerry is widely regarded as one of Britain’s leading contemporary technique teachers. She receives many invitations to teach internationally at Ballet National de Marseille (France), Escuela de Danza (Cuba), the Beijing Dance Academy (China), the Jacob’s Pillow School and is annual Guest Artist at the Juilliard School (USA).

k|n|d|c (kerry nicholls dance company) was founded in 1999 as a vehicle to promote Kerry’s own choreographic research. During its existence, Kerry created numerous works for k|n|d|c and received independent commissions from organisations and companies within Europe, China and the USA, and directed various projects at venues such as the National Theatre, Sadler’s Wells and the Royal Festival Hall.

Currently, Kerry is an external assessor and the Contemporary Module Leader for the Degree programme at the Royal Ballet School. She is also the Artistic Associate for the West Midlands: Centre for Advanced Training 2017-2021. As a Senior Creative Coach with a European Coaching Certificate, Kerry supports established artists, prominent leaders and CEO’s to fulfil their potential and is a regular choreographic mentor, judge and career consultant for the Royal Opera House, One Dance UK, English National Ballet, Rambert, Scottish Ballet, Barbican and Netherlands Dans Theater. In 2019, Kerry was invited to be a Rambert School Centenary Ambassador and she is also a Dance Ambassador for PIPA (Parents and Carers In Performing Arts).