It’s predictable isn’t it? Last year we brought you Verve 07 and this year we bring you Verve 08. The endless mysteries of the randomness of the universe shattered by a writer who never was very good at writing the introductions to video features! (you don’t say? Ed!)
So without further ado we bring you the superb dancers of Verve, the graduate company of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. They were great last year, and they’re great this year for no other reason than we say so! OK, there are lot’s of other reasons why they’re great but I digress!
Every year the company tours with a brand-new company of dancers auditioned to take part in the schools Graduate Diploma course.
Verve has moved into mid-scale touring with twenty shows being performed around the UK and Europe. What do they have to show I hear you cry? Well, this time out we have ‘The New Breeds’ by Carol Brown, ‘Exile & Death’ by Darshan Singh Bhuller, ‘Thought Like Raindrop’ by Henri Oguike, ‘March’ by Simon Birch, and ‘A Rough Guide To Theatre’ by Wendy Houston.
Here on Article19 we bring you some excerpts from ‘The New Breeds’ described by the press blurb as follows; “Just as our ancestors were supported by wildlife, so we are supported by technology. Welcome to our digital evolution; experience these strange hybrids dancing like they’ve just been made.’
Also coming to the fray is ‘Thought Like Raindrop’ which has this to say for itself; “This work has been made in collaboration with the dancers. Special thanks to all NSCD staff and most of all to the dancers for their hard work and commitment throughout the rehearsal process.” We’re just glad the work is better than the written intro!
Verve 08 are; Alice Moran, Ann Sophie Clemmensen, Ciara Collins-Atkins, Cruz-Antonio Reyes, David Willdridge, Hoor Malas, Liv O’Donoghue, Natasha Kowalski, Peter Grist, Sarah Lewis, Vicci Viles. Music for ‘The New Breeds’ by Russell Scoones, Music for ‘Thought Like Raindrops’ by Miles Davies and John Coltrane.
The company’s next performance is at The Dance Studio, Lewes on March 10th. For more information and further tour dates check out the company’s website. The tour continues until July.