Cardiff is set to welcome an evening of powerful contemporary dance this spring, as VERVE, the international touring company from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, brings its latest triple bill to the city.
The performance will take place at the Theatr Richard Burton Theatre on 1st May, offering audiences the chance to experience three striking works from some of today’s most exciting choreographers.
The 2026 tour has already been previewed internationally and is built around a trio of new pieces by Alethia Antonia, Andrea Costanzo Martini and Oona Doherty, each bringing a very different style and perspective to the stage.
The first piece, We question. We try., explores the idea of looking ahead and asking questions about the future, blending high-energy movement with moments of reflection. It focuses on the balance between individual thought and shared experience, creating something that feels both personal and collective.
B O D Y B E takes a different direction, looking at what it means to perform and be watched. With humour and honesty, the piece plays with the relationship between the dancer and the audience, revealing a more vulnerable side to performance.
The final work, Hope Hunt, marks a special 10-year anniversary reworking of one of Oona Doherty’s most talked-about pieces. Originally a solo, it has been expanded into a full company performance, exploring themes of identity, connection and the need to be understood.
Together, the three works offer a mix of styles and ideas, showing just how wide and expressive contemporary dance can be.
VERVE itself is made up of 18 dancers from across the world, all at the start of their professional careers. Their performances bring a mix of energy, skill and individuality that sits at the heart of the show.
For Cardiff audiences, the May date is a chance to see something a little different. A night of dance that challenges, entertains and sparks conversation, all in an intimate theatre setting.
The VERVE triple bill arrives in Cardiff on 1st May at the Theatr Richard Burton Theatre.
Tickets start from £8 -from the Royal Welsh Collage Music & Drama
