VERB BALLETS

FRESH INVENTIONS

Experience vibrant performance and bold artistry highlighting the other side of creation through the dancer’s lens. Verb Ballets presents new works by Associate Director Richard Dickinson, MFA, company dancers Kate Webb, Daniel Cho, Michael Escovedo, and Antonio Morillo.

About Verb Ballets
One of Northeast Ohio’s most respected dance companies, Verb Ballets has gained a reputation for artistic excellence and exemplary community engagement since its founding as The Cleveland Repertory Project in 1987. Under the current leadership of Dr. Margaret Carlson, former principal dancer for Cleveland Ballet, Verb Ballets is recognized for performing dance works of the highest caliber and as a catalyst to promote learning, nurture wellness, and encourage dialogue about the dance art form.

As a contemporary ballet company, choreographers such as Adam Houghland, Antonio Brown, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Charles Anderson, and company dancer Michael Escovedo regularly work with the company. In addition, Verb Ballets houses ten of the thirteen works by Ohio Ballet founder, Heinz Poll—works allowed to survive him. Each year, company dancers are given opportunities to grow their choreographic skills in performances at Cleveland Public Theatre. In 2017, Verb formed an alliance with the Cuban ballet company Prodanza and through the cultural exchange process, Verb dancers are learning and performing ballets from the Cuban repertoire.

In 2018, Verb Ballets completed the buildout of its new 6,000 square foot home located in Shaker Heights on the border of the Lee-Harvard neighborhood. The Verb Ballets Center for Dance serves as the home for the dance company and community dance program. Through their Dance For Everyone Community Dance Program, the company offers a diverse array of classes for all ages from children through adults. Planning is underway for the further development of educational activities to benefit the community.

Verb Ballets engages with generations through programs that integrate dance such as their Moving Connections for seniors, WiggleWords, the kinetic literacy program for young children, school matinees of children’s ballets, technique workshops for teens with professional ambitions, and now classes in their home studio where community members rekindle or discover their love of dance. Verb’s outreach into the community provides dance experiences and participatory activities in schools, libraries, community centers, museums, and senior living centers. Their activities reach almost 25,000 individuals each year. verbballets.org

“Confident and polished, Verb’s dancers shone.” –Dance International Magazine
“[Their] dancers move with great athleticism and complexity.” –The Plain Dealer
“Make a serious effort to capture one of these sought after tickets… [Verb] is dance magnifique.” –Examiner.com

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Main image credit: Bill Naiman