The Verve are back for their 11th incarnation with a new set of dancers, a new set of dance makers and a new set of works for touring up and down this slightly broken land of ours.
For this year the graduate company from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds has assembled Charles Linehan, Debora Johnson, Thomas Noon, Peter Mika and Ben Wright to craft the movement.
The dancers of course perform with a level of skill and commitment you would expect from any group of professionals which makes it all the more remarkable to note that they don’t get paid for this.
In our video features only Peter Mika’s ‘Dual Formula’ is absent because it wasn’t quite finished for preview time when we filmed the show. As well as segments from ‘Judder’ by Thomas Noone and ‘Cascade’ by Charles Linehan we have an interview with two of the company’s dancers; Lotte Ghyssaert and Hal Smith.
NSCD say this much about Verve;
“Verve embark on a 23-date tour this Spring/Summer. Check tour dates for a venue near to you! Verve is the postgraduate performance company of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. This year the company comprises 10 inspiring young dancers touring a mixed bill selected from newly commissioned works by choreographers Debora Johnson, Charles Linehan, Peter Mika, Thomas Noone and Ben Wright.”
Which is pretty much what we’ve just said so consider yourself well informed times two!
The works are performed by Shelley Brettle, Rosanahh Carrick, Daniel Connor, Lotte Ghyssaert, Jessica Hill, Mary Mannion, Katherine McCabe, Emilie Schack, Alex Rowland and Hal Smith.
Verve’s next performance is at the York Theatre Royal on March 16, with extensive touring to follow, check their website for details.
Performance filmed on February 26th 2011 at the Riley Theatre in Leeds.