Premiering from 2-5 July, Future Now marks the culmination of our BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance Performance students’ three-year preparation for entering the profession as contemporary dance artists.
Every year, we connect with and commission three artists known for their distinctive voice and artistic flair that sets them apart to create new work with and for our students.
This year's guest choreographers are Matteo Marfoglia, Ben Duke, and André Rebelo, who are all passionate about helping to develop the next generation of dancers.
Find out more more about them below.
Tickets for Future Now 2025 can be purchased here.
Matteo has an extensive career as a performer, choreographer, director and educator. Matteo danced for many years with Introdans, Netherlands and National Dance Company Wales in the UK. Matteo founded his own project-based company in Cardiff (2017). Matteo’s work has been commissioned by organisations in Wales including NDCWales, Wales Millenium Centre and Rubicon Dance, as well as being presented at international festivals. Matteo holds a BA (Hons) in Dance (Codarts Rotterdam) and MA Dance Teaching & Facilitating (NSCD). Matteo has recently worked in a collaborative performance project as Movement Director in partnership with National Youth Theatre and Leeds 2023.
Matteo’s research looks at how to make ballet accessible and useful for the learning of contemporary dance students of the 21st Century. This research stems from his MA and he is continuing to use it as his teaching approach in combining his two teaching practices, Gaga and ballet, as a form of training for MA students at NSCD. Matteo is a certified Gaga Teacher – Gaga Teachers’ Training course in 2018-2019. Matteo received a Creative Wales Award from the Arts Council of Wales to research taking dance outside of traditional theatre venues and into more unconventional spaces. Matteo is interested in exploring how movement can be generated by responding to communities, histories and the inhabitants of particular places. Matteo participated on a panel discussion as part of the NSCD Knowledge Exchange Conference in January 2023 and is establishing international partnerships for VERVE with educational institutions such as Equilibrio Dinamico in Italy.
Ben is Artistic Director and co-founder of Lost Dog. He trained at Guildford School of Acting, London Contemporary Dance School and has a degree in English Literature from Newcastle University. His work is an attempt to reconcile those three subjects.
In 2023 Lost Dog won the National Dance Award for best mid-scale company and Lost Dog’s recent co-production with the Royal Opera House, Ruination, was awarded best modern Choreography and was also nominated for an Olivier award. Other recent work for Lost Dog includes A Tale of Two Cities, Juliet and Romeo, Paradise Lost (lies unopened beside me) and The Place Prize winning It Needs Horses.
Outside of Lost Dog Ben has created work for Rambert Death Trap in 2023, Scottish Dance Theatre The Life and Times of Girl A, Dance Umbrella The Difference Engine, Phoenix Dance Theatre Pave up Paradise, Barely Methodical Troupe Kin and most recently the outdoor circus show Fireside with Nikki and JD.
Lost Dog’s Ruination and Ben’s work with Rambert were both nominated for Olivier awards in 2017, and 2022.
Originally from Portugal, André Rebelo moved to England at the age of 11. He found his passion for dance when he was 19 and initiated his training in 2011 at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where he graduated with a BA (Hons) Degree. After graduating in 2014, André had the opportunity to participate in JV2 Professional Development Diploma where he worked with guest choreographers Marilena Dara and Mafalda Deville, and performed Jasmin Vardimon‘s captivating production, MAZE.
Post JV2, André has embraced a dynamic career as a freelance dancer, choreographer, and teacher. Joining Jasmin Vardimon Company in 2016, he has brought his artistry to the stage in productions such as Tannhaüser, Pinocchio, Medusa, and ALiCE in VR Wonderland. André then progressed in his artistic journey in his role as Rehearsal Director for Vardimon’s production ALiCE, and the latest creation NOW where he also returned to the stage as a performer.
Beyond his performance practice, André is deeply committed to sharing his expertise with the next generation of dancers. As JV2 Programme Leader and Education Facilitator, he leads workshops and courses. In addition, he has been a guest choreographer for JV2 (2018 and 2023), and Jasmin Vardimon Company’s new youth Company JVyoU (2025). In 2021, André took a significant leap forward, founding Rebelo Dance Company, a testament to his ongoing dedication to innovation and artistic exploration.
