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Article Excerpt
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Sometimes the big companies get all the attention, so Dance Magazine decided to highlight five great troupes that come in much smaller packages. With 10 or less dancers, they may be tiny, but that doesn't mean they aren't mighty.
VERB BALLETS Variety in action
Named after a term indicating a state of action, Cleveland's Verb Ballets has been on the move, creating a buzz and garnering a loyal local audience since the company's inception in 2002. Led by former Paul Taylor Dance Company dancer Hernando Cortez, Verb is a close-knit nine-member contemporary dance ensemble with a strong personality--Cortez's. That is to say Cortez feels the company reflects the many sides of his personality.
"What makes a dance company unique is the personality behind it," says Cortez. "What distinguishes Verb is the personality I created for it."
Formerly known as The Repertory Project, a predominately postmodern dance company, Cortez made the company more mainstream, changing its name and almost overnight turning it into perhaps Cleveland's most recognizable dance organization.
Verb's personality in large part is revealed in the repertoire Cortez has chosen for it: a mixture of masterpieces by Graham and Taylor, quality works by contemporary choreographers like David Parsons and Seain Curran, works by emerging choreographers, and about 16 new works created for the company by the prolific Cortez.
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About Cortez's choreographic contributions, company dancer Catherine Meredith says, "I have tangoed, polkaed, done the salsa, danced barefoot, and been on pointe. I think his range of styles really helps us grow as artists."
The company's personality is also revealed in the dancers Cortez has hired--a variety of shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. Cortez says they are not only a great mix but are a main source of choreographic inspiration.
"I have always dreamed of making a national touring company," says Cortez. "There are great institutions here like The Cleveland Orchestra and The Cleveland Museum of Art that get recognized nationally. I feel Verb can be that ambassador for dance."
That vision has had to take a back seat lately to fiscal responsibility. Averaging 25-30 (mostly local)...
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