Silvia Verges
Teacher & Choreographer
Ballet in Perspective
Some years ago when I was in the arduous process of auditioning and traveling none stop, I had the opportunity to talk to few choreographers that I admired very much. There are two phrases that have stayed with me for life. One choreographer was the kindest man and approached to talk to me after my audition. When I expressed my interest not only for performing but also for creating, he said " Well .. choreographing is a 24/7 work, but if in the midle of the night you wake up and realize that you have something to say that nobody else has said, then you will know you have to do it". Another time another choreographer, in order to encourage me in my search for dance employment and artistic growth, said " Don't worry, life is not only long, it is also large".
The journey of dance and movement is neverending. As those choreographers said the journey is long, large and a 24/7 one. Another choreographer that I had the pleasure to work with, when parting ways, told me "just continue and always be yourself". We might not be all genius creators or have the ability of principal dancers, but if one wake ups with an urge and calling, we should respond to who we are, follow that calling and never cease to explore.
One might especialize in one dance style or area, but the more perspectives one gains to observ it differently the more fascinating and enriching the journey becomes. My career has been mostly centered in the Ballet world, but I have gained the best insights also outside of it when stepping into other dance styles, movement and somatic practices. Dance is my way to search and express what captivates me, but what I most enjoy is to enter into a dance studio and collaborate with artists, students and teachers. It is my wish to always continue to explore and share the divers approaches, stories and perspectives that we all have.
Biography
Silvia Verges is a ballet teacher and choreographer based in Helsinki, Finland. She is a former dancer from Ballet de Euskadi in Spain, CompañÃa Nacional de Danza in Mexico and Nationaltheater Mannheim in Germany.
Silvia is originally from Barcelona, Spain, where she graduated in Ballet in the Superior Conservatory of Dance from the Institut del Teatre de Barcelona. Her main teachers were Guillermina Coll (former soloist from Royal Ballet of Flanders, Belgium), Mirta PLa and Rodolfo Castellanos (Former principal dancers from Ballet de Cuba) and Ramon Sole (former principal dancer from Opéra National de Bordeaux, France).
Silvia received a scholarship from Institut del Teatre in her last year of studies to do one year apprenticeship at Ballet de Euskadi in Bilbao, Spain, gaining a contract with the company after her graduation. In the following nine years Silvia also worked at the Compañia Nacional de Danza de Mexico (under the direction of Horacio Lecona and Cuauthemoc Najera) and in the Nationaltheatre Mannheim, Germany (under the direction of Mark McClain). Silvia performed soloist roles such as Pas de Peasant in Giselle, four swans in Swan lake, Columbine in Nutcracker, and solos and duets in contemporary works by various choreographers including Mark Goden, Octavio Zeivy, Antonio Gomez and Mark McClain among others.
Silvia had interest also for choreography since early age. She made works for Compañia Nacional de Danza de Mexico and Nationaltheater Mannheim. Following her interest to improve her choreographic work she moved to London, Uk, to study contemporary dance and choreography at The London Contemporary Dance School with scholarships from La Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain, and the Government of Uk. She studied with great teachers and guests such as dancers from the companies Trisha Brown, Merce Cunningham and Nederlands Dans Theater and choreographers such as Charles Linehan, Hofesh Shechter and Richard Alston. Silvia participated in an International Choreographic competition in Madrid, Spain, achieving a finalist place.
Silvia is currently based in Helsinki, Finland. She has work both as a regular and guest teacher in several dance schools, dance institutes and professional associations and companies. She has also performed and choreographed in various independent projects collaborating with artists from Suomen Kansallisooppera ja baletti (the Finnish National Opera and Ballet), Helsinki Dance Company, Tero Saarinen Company, Ballet Finland, Sibelius Akatemia and various freelance artists. Silvia also founded Inkorpora Dance Project, a dance and interactive arts project.
Besides exploring the world of Ballet and Contemporary Dance Silvia has also great interest in other dance and movement techniques. She trained intensively Somatic Techniques such as Pilates, Feldenkrais, and Yoga and she has practiced folk and social dances including bolera, classical Spanish and more recently couple dances from Brazil and swing dance styles. Silvia also studied five years of music theory at Conservatori de Musica del Liceu in Barcelona.
Classes & Lectures
Silvia has an extens experience teaching to students from all ages and backgrounds: From young students in their ballet formation and preparation for auditions, to professional ballet dancers or other professional dancers who use ballet as support training as well as recreational amateur dancers. Besides her technique ballet classes Silvia also offers somatic and stretching classes, choreographic workshops and lectures.
Though Silvia first trained in the Vaganova ballet system, later she had teachers from various ballet systems, mainly the French, Cuban and Balanchine methods as well as she intensively trained in other dance styes and movement practices. In her teaching Silvia is influenced not only by all what she learned as a ballet dancer but also by all the insights that she has gained in her trainings in somatics, modern and contemporary dances such as Graham, Limon and Release-based techniques, choreology, folk and social dances. Silvia is also very interested in researching the choreographic and dance methodologies legacy, the gradual evolution towards innovative tendencies, and the new or opposite contemporary proposals. Since 2023 she has started to organize lectures and projects to share insights of her research and engage in open discussions. Silvia finds of great importance to complement dance practice with the understanding of its history.
In her dance and somatic classes, Silvia focuses on working on healthy alignment and searching for a better use of effort and breath, seeking to increase awareness and reduce tension. In her ballet classes Silvia follows the traditional foundations of classical ballet technique but searches for various ways of combining secuences. She also emphasizes on the attention to musical aspects, working on the specific dynamic and quality of each step and how to maintain it within faster and slower tempos. Students have often refered Silvia's classes to be very 'dancy' because she creates an atmosphere that helps the students to execute the movements not only mechanically correct but also musically and expressive.
No matter which dance style or movement practice one follows at the end it is all about finding a constant alternation of holding or sustaining with releasing and letting go. The aim is to achieve flow discovering one's unique form of expression, and understanding movement from different perspectives.
Choreographic works
In her pieces Silvia explores both the classical and new movement vocabulary. She searches for creating continuous flowing secuences but also explores the use of stillness and sustained slow motion. Other aspects she researches are choreographic estructural patterns and how to combine them In various ways with the musical phrases as well as the use of space. Silvia has made both abstract pieces and works with a meaning or storyline.
2024 The Last Rose of Summer, music: Traditional Irish song, and Raindrops, music: Panu Aaltio, comissioned works for ConAnima Pro bono productions for their production Suomi, Luonto, Musiikki, Kauniainen, Finland
2023 Dance for Two, music: D. Shostakovich, premiered at Aleksanterin Teatteri, Iso Balettisali. presented at Dance for Two, an Inkorpora Dance Project production
2023 Largo, Vivace & Andante, music: F. Chopin, premiered at Aleksanterin Teatteri, Iso Balettisali. presented at Dance for Two, an Inkorpora Dance Project production
2023 A Step of Two, music: D. O'Halloran, G. Santaolalla, premiered at Helsinki Dance Central. Inkorpora Dance Project choreography course demonstration
2023 Brief Dances, music: S. Yanev, J. Sibelius, E. Satie, premiered at Aleksanterin Teatteri, Iso Balettisali. Inkorpora Dance Project production, Helsinki, Finland
2022 Passages & Waltzes, music: N. Castrillón, G. Mcdonnell, J. Brahms, premiered at Aleksanteri Teatteri, Iso Baletti sali. Inkorpora Dance Project production, Helsinki, Finland
2020 The Chamber Nutcracker, music: P. I. Tchaikovsky arr. to chamber orquestra by Kaapo Ijas, premiered at Helsinki Dance Central, Inkorpora Dance Project production, Helsinki, Finland
2018 Farewell, music: J. Sibelius, C. Fawcett. Video dance in collaboration with photographer and filmmaker L. Salazar, Helsinki, Finland
2017 Vision, collaborative choreography with D. Muñoz, music: N. Castrillon, comissioned work for Arts Zenter, Espoo, Finland
2016 Les Aquarelles du Printemps, music: V. Rain, comissioned work for Vocal affairs Festival, Kannelmäki, Finland
2016 Outlined, music: E. Villa Lobos, comissioned work for Cultural centre Vernissa, Helsinki, Finland
2016 La Visión de Don Quijote, collaborative choreography with D. Muñoz, music: N. Castrillon, comissioned work for Kolibri Festival, Helsinki, Finland
2015 :Goldberg Variations, collaborative choreography with Inka Tiitinen and Erika Alajärvi, music, J. S. Bach, comissioned work for Kvartz Productions, Helsinki, Finland.
2015 Tilat, music: A Giesteira, comissioned work for Kanneltalo Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
2014 Two Ancient Apple Trees, music: L. Niemelä, comissioned work for a videoclip by singer song writer Lucie Niemelä, Helsinki, Finland
2013 Koko Ajan, music T. Heikkinen, comissioned work for Teatteri Narri, Helsinki, Finland
2010 Encuentros, music: T. Heikkinen , collaborative choreography with Helena Toivonen and Hanna Kivioja, comissioned work for Värinää Festival, Sibelius theatre, Järvenpää, Finland
2007 The Way Back, collaborative choreography with M. Heino, music: M. Picknet, comissioned work for Resolution! 07 Robin Howard Dance Theatre, London, Uk
2006 Motive; Motif, music: C. Fawcett, comissioned work for Resolution! 06 Robin Howards Dance Theatre, London, Uk
2006 In the Threshold, music: W.A. Mozart, for Master studies at LCDS, London, Uk
2005 Weiter und weiter, music: W. Mertens, for Master studies at LCDS, London, Uk
2002 Alba, music: G. Grump & P. Glass. Comissioned work for National Theatre Mannhein, Germany. Presented also in Certamen Coreografico de Madrid, Spain, getting finalist place.
2001 En Espera, music:M. Ponce, comissioned work for Compañìa Nacional de Danza de Mexico
2000 Del Negro al Blanco, music: W.A. Mozart, comissioned work for Comañìa Nacional de Danza de Mexico
Contact
For private classes or invite Silvia to teach or choreograph contact her at:
For information about Silvia's courses and productions check:
Website: silviaverges.wixsite.com/inkorpora
Instagram: @inkorporadance , @silviaverges.dance