Theatre by the Lake welcomes a new generation of dancers to its main stage this March by hosting the Northern School of Contemporary Dance’s acclaimed postgraduate dance company VERVE, who will perform an adventurous programme of three new dance works, alongside a celebrated restaging of acclaimed piece Shutdown, all created by internationally-acclaimed and award-winning choreographers.
Audiences can expect an evening of physically charged and refreshingly original dance from the renowned company which consists of 13 emerging dancers, including Lake District-born Ferghas Clavey, who is also an alumnus of Cumbria Youth Dance.
Ferghas said of his upcoming performance: “I’m from Kendal and I can’t wait to show the other company members what an amazing place the Lakes is. Being able to perform back in my home county after being away for a long time will be such a rewarding experience for me.
“I first started dancing at a local boys youth dance club at the Brewery Arts Centre when I was around 13 years old, and many teachers and peers have been a massive inspiration for me along the way. I always had a passion for performing and creating dance but it wasn’t until I watched Hofesh Shechter’s Political Mother that I started taking dancing more seriously. Being able to watch such an amazing company really helped me to decide to pursue a career in dance.
“My favourite part of our show is during Shutdown by Noa Zuk, when the whole company are on stage dancing and grooving. It creates a real sense of community for us and I feel this experience is passed onto the audience too.”
As well as dancers from the UK, VERVE includes dancers from Chile, Italy, Portugal, Singapore and Uruguay; creating a truly international dance company.
The four celebrated choreographers comprise Maxine Doyle (Associate Director and Choreographer for PUNCHDRUNK); Ben Wright (Co-artistic Director of Candoco Dance Company); Joan Clevillé (Artistic Director of Joan Clevillé Dance) and Noa Zuk (Co-creator of Shutdown, former Batsheva Dance Company artist and Independent Israeli Choreographer).
Artistic Director of the company Matthew Robinson said: “Each year VERVE tours the work of exceptional choreographic artists, performed by a vibrant, international company of dancers. Each work reveals the virtuosic athleticism which these artists are capable of.”
He went on to say: “Dance is an international art form. Embedded in cultures across the world, it is a means of communication beyond words. I invite Keswick audiences to sample a selection of the breadth of what is happening in dance right now, as well as witness a new generation of dancers about to make their mark on the UK and international dance scene”.
VERVE performs at Theatre by the Lake on Fri 22 March at 7.30pm. Tickets are £18, £15, £10; Students, U16s and Schools £8. Book online at theatrebythelake.com or call the Box Office on 017687 74411.
