Silvia Verges
Teacher & Choreographer
Ballet in Perspective
Once, while I was traveling and auditioning none stop, I encountered a choreographer that I admired very much. In order to encourage me he said "Do not worry, life is not only long, it is also large". Years later after having met and work with so many incredible and inspiring dance artists these words touch me deeply. Sharing and observing the paths and wisdom of my colleagues has brought me lot of joy and insights.
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. She is a former dancer from Ballet de Euskadi in Spain, Compañía Nacional de Danza in México and Nationaltheater Mannheim in Germany. She has also performed and choreographed in many independent projects and dance festivals internationally.
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 has also worked for several years in Helsinki, Finland, as a ballet teacher and choreographer. She has taught in many dance schools and institutes, in associations for professional dancers and at the federal skating association with the olimpic team of ice dance skaters and has choreographed and done comissioned works in various festivals, cultural centers and 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 interest in other dance and movement techniques as support training and inspiration. She trained intensively Somatic Techniques such as Pilates, Feldenkrais, and Yoga and she has practiced folk and social dances including bolera, classical Spanish, 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 dancers from all ages, from young students in their formation to professional ballet dancers or other dancers and athletes who use ballet as support training as well as recreational amateur dancers. Silvia teaches technique ballet classes, choreographic workshops and has offered some lectures.
Though Silvia first trained in the Vaganova ballet system, later she had teachers from various ballet systems, such as French or Balanchine methods as well as she intensively trained in other dance styles and movement practices. She is influenced not only by all what she learned as a ballet dancer but also by all the insights that she has gained in the somatics and contemporary dance trainings. Silvia is also very interested in researching the gradual evolution towards new training approaches as well as what stays as timeless art and wisdom. and having an understanding of the dance history.
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In her 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. Silvia follows the traditional foundations of classical ballet but searches for various ways of combining secuences, working on the specific dynamic and quality of each step and how to maintain it within various 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. Dancing is about finding a constant alternation of holding or sustaining with releasing and letting go, discovering one's flow and unique way of moving and expressing.
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.
2026 Retoño, music; M. Ponce, commissioned work for Tour de Force Danza, Monterrey, México
2025-26 Waltzes & Etudes, music: F. Chopin, premiered at Aleksanterin teatteri-Pylkanen sali & Fokus Yläsali with Inkorpora Dance Project in collaboration with Casualbutpro & Fokus Studio, Helsinki Finland, and remaked for Tour de Force Danza, Monterrey, México
2024-26 Impromptu Dances are a selection of choreographic excerpts as well as brief new pieces presented at the documentary Back to The Barre, filmed in Finland, France, México, Chile and Spain
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, Helsinki, Finland
2023 A Step of Two, music: K. Tikka, premiered at Helsinki Dance Central. Inkorpora Dance Project choreography course demonstration, Helsinki, Finland
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
To invite Silvia to teach or choreograph contact her at
silviavm11@ymail.com
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To see more about Silvia's work check
@silviaverges.dance