VERVE: at the Riley Theatre on 28 February – Returning on 22 May at Leeds Playhouse

VERVE, the international touring company based at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD) produced a performance which was well worthy of the standing ovation it received.

The Riley Theatre at NSCD is the first stop on this tour but will return to Leeds on the 22nd of May for its final performance at Leeds Playhouse. The tour aims not only to entertain audiences but also to ignite conversation and invites reflection on the ever- evolving nature of contemporary dance performance.

This programme is designed so that these 16 dancers working towards their MA in Contemporary Dance performance have the opportunity to collaborate with some of the leading choreographers in the field.
Each year, VERVE works with international artists to push the boundaries of movement and storytelling – and this performance was no exception.

Luca Signoretti, Thanh-Tú ‘Sattva’ Nguyen and Bosmat Nossan each bring a unique perspective with their work and have created a performance that showcases a wide variety of styles within the contemporary genre.

This triple bill was engaging from start to finish, although each piece seemed to have its own unique style the end result was a cohesive performance which followed an emotional narrative and encouraged thoughtful reflection on the audience’s behalf.

Let Me In, choreographed by Luca Signoretti, was the perfect opening, exploring the powerfully personal journey and experience of artistic creation. This was heightened knowing that this resonated wholly with the performers themselves. This piece was a great introduction to the dancers, with featured solos and duets interlinked with strong group moments which demonstrated the power and talents of each performer.

It began interestingly, with a short monologue performed by Brooke Sorenson, which centred on the question – Why am I choreographing? It was comedic and dramatic, which partnered well with the rest of the piece and brought context to the following movements. Each dancer was committed to the storytelling of the piece. Signoretti’s choreography was technically challenging but was made to look effortless. In fact, each piece in this triple bill was executed so that it looked graceful; the clear foundations of technique which have shaped each dancer were evident. Similarly, the shapes and silhouettes created were a testament to their individual artistry.

Lotus, the second piece, was performed by Marcus Burns, Hannah Davidson, Willow Fenner, Jacob Gale, Mirabelle Haddon, Clara Mauro, Amanda Pang and Lucia Taylor. This felt like a breath of fresh air, a moment of calm following the previous piece. It showcased the strength of its performers with dynamic partner work. Thanh-Tú ‘Sattva’ Nguyen’s work was perhaps the most innovative from a choreographic perspective, with shapes and staging continuously evolving. This piece tells the story of a curiosity patiently growing from within and I felt it did just that.

The final piece was choreographed by Bosmat Nossan, the second whole company performance of the evening. It was based on taking emotion and viewing it in its purest essence as form, rhythm, intensity and movement. In this way, the emotive experiences were translated into a universal language, spoken not by words but through the bodies of the performers. This work particularly displayed the unity between the performers who obviously have a strong sense of trust amongst them, which enabled them to create
such an experimental piece. Intertwining bodies and physicality were key aspects of this piece, which worked well on such a large scale.

Every piece in this performance posed a question which was picked apart and physicalised. It came across as an experimental conversation, not only between choreographer and artist but also performer and viewer. Within just over an hour, the audience was aware of not only the talent of these 16 performers but also the hard work and stamina which was required for the creation of this production. I left this performance feeling inspired and excited by the future of contemporary dance following the display of these individuals.

TOUR DATES

10^th March – Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate

13^th March – Richard Burton Theatre, Cardiff

15^th March – New Adelphi Theatre, Salford

22^nd & 23^rd March – The Place, London

25^th March – Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster

29^th April – Teatro Kismet, Bari, Italy

8^th May – Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton

13^th May – Taunton Brewhouse, Taunton

16^th May – JV H.O.M.E, Ashford

Finale – 22^nd May – Leeds Playhouse, Leeds

Main image:Luca Signoretti. Photography by Elly Welford.