Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD) is excited to announce an expanded partnership with Soul-Xpressions, a non-government youth development arts organisation based in Kampala, Uganda.
Founded over a decade ago, Soul-Xpressions works with children, young people and adults in community and professional contexts to bring about social change through artistic practice. Their facilitation and teaching methods are based on the Creative Community Model, where they engage participants using arts, creative expression, sports tools, and dialogue to cultivate resilience, self-confidence, critical thinking, creativity, compassion, active communication, and emotional intelligence to enhance personal development through non-formal education methodologies. Their work seeks to be a catalyst for community building and positive social change.
The collaboration between NSCD and Soul-Xpressions highlights NSCD's ongoing commitment to fostering international relationships, providing students with global exposure and cultural exchange, and driving innovation and knowledge across borders in a diverse range of contexts. The partnership has been spearheaded by NSCD Lecturer, Antonio Bukhar Ssebuuma, who has a strong existing relationship with the company. Already a partner organisation on NSCD’s MA Professional Placement Scheme in Dance, Soul-Xpressions has now extended this invaluable opportunity to undergraduate students, further enriching the student experience and expanding the opportunities available at NSCD.
To kick off the partnership, two NSCD undergraduate students have been afforded the opportunity to take up a professional placement with Soul-Xpressions in Uganda, with the support of HM Government's Turing Scheme. The scheme seeks to widen access and support student mobility to a wide range of international destinations to aid academic growth, professional development and cultural exchange.
Matthew Slater, Head of Undergraduate Studies at NSCD remarked:
"This international exchange pushes students beyond the comfort and familiarity of their classrooms and cultures, and into an exciting and diverse world where the learning they have experienced can be applied and expanded. It teaches them to question assumptions, communicate across differences, and see their practice through a truly global lens. We are thrilled here at NSCD to be able to partner with Soul-Xpressions and show our students dance life and culture outside of the UK."
The placement will take place from January to April 2026 and provide the two participating undergraduate students with a once in a life time opportunity to experience life and community engagement in a totally new culture and context. The placement will provide students with hands-on experience as a company member in an international dance environment, promoting global engagement and enriching the UK’s creative industries. They will be immersed in the work and operation of the company, offering meaningful experiences to the participants and communities they engage with, whilst developing their own teaching, facilitating and performance skills. The students will also receive ongoing mentorship and support from the experienced artists and leadership at Soul-Xpressions.
Hannah Perry, Head of Quality & Compliance at NSCD commented:
"We’re so happy to be able to offer our undergraduate students this unique and life changing experiece and are grateful to the Turing Scheme for making this possible. NSCD is dedicated to ensuring that every student, regardless of background or ability, can access transformative international opportunities. Both placement students have an innate interest in dance and community practice, so to have the chance to be able to develop their teaching, communication and artistic practice in a place and setting different to where they are usually based will be transformative for their personal and professional development, and will only enhance their future careers."
Applications for NSCD's undergraduate courses are open for 2026 entry. Find out more about how to apply here.
