We are pleased to announce the VERVE RESIDENCIES artists Teresa Phuti Mojela and Latif Arafan Wa-hab Diedhiou.
VERVE RESIDENCIES is a funded opportunity for artists from the Global Majority based in the African continent, of any movement background, to share their ongoing research with VERVE dancers. VERVE is the international touring company of NSCD. Find out more here.
These commissions support artists in building a relationship with NSCD through a week of research and practice sharing, bookended by bespoke support from Alesandra Seutin (VERVE RESIDENCIES Artistic Mentor & Professional Artist) and Matteo Marfoglia (VERVE Artistic Director & Course Leader).
Speaking of the selection process, VERVE Artistic Director and Curriculum Lead Matteo Marfoglia said:
"I am thrilled to launch the very first iteration of the VERVE Residency this year, a programme dedicated to connecting with contemporary artists of the global majority and in particular from the African continent. The response to our call-out was extraordinary: artists from across Africa shared their unique visions, each carrying rich personal stories and artistic perspectives that made the selection process incredibly inspiring and equally challenging. After much consideration, I am delighted to announce that the residencies will be awarded to Latif and Teresa.
Both artists captivated me with the depth and clarity of their vision, and with practices that weave together diverse movement languages rooted in their cultural backgrounds and lived experiences. Their work expands on existing traditions while charting new directions in dance-making, creating layered and innovative approaches to contemporary performance. I know their presence will bring vital new perspectives into the VERVE broadening our dancers’ horizons, enriching the residency programme, and expanding our collective understanding of what contemporary dance can be."
Read on to learn more about each of this year's artists.
Teresa Phuti Mojela is an internationally acclaimed South African performing artist, choreographer, curator, movement director, and producer. Born in Limpopo Province, raised in Ivory Park, she is renowned for her powerful lead role as Sibyl in Waiting for the Sibyl by William Kentridge, winner of the Laurence Olivier Award for Achievement in Opera.
As founding director of Phuti Pedi Productions and co-founder of Skeem Saka Projects, Phuti also mentors young talent and leads community dance initiatives. Her career spans collaborations with acclaimed artists across the globe, including in the UK, USA, India, and Europe.
She has performed in major festivals and venues worldwide and served as Artistic Director of the Basadi Dance Festival and Mothlana Kalana Incubator. She began her artistic journey in 1999, later training in drama and dance at top South African institutions. Her work combines performance, teaching, and social impact, making her a vital force in contemporary African dance.
Born on November 27, 1997, Latif Arafan Wa-hab Diedhiou is a young dancer-in-training from Senegal. His passion for dance led him to embark on a professional career in this field at the age of 19. He began his artistic journey by exploring urban dance as his first form of expression, then discovered traditional and contemporary dance, enriching his choreographic language and his career as a performer and interpreter.
In 2021, Latif joined Ecole Des Sables’ Jant-Bi II company as a performer and dancer-in-training. This opportunity opened doors to various training courses with renowned choreographers and teachers, including Germaine Acogny, Wesley Ruzibiza, Alesandra Seutin, Judith Sanchez Ruiz, Julie Dossavi, Toyin Songuro, Olivier Tarpaga, and many others.
He continued his training by taking part in several internships and immersive training courses at Ecole Des Sables, while also getting involved in various local and international projects, such as Air de temps with Alesandra Seutin and Wesley Ruzibiza, Slow danse as part of Chanel Arts et Métiers in Dakar with Dimitri Chamblas, Blast by Emanuela Iacopini with Compagnie Vedanza, El Nave by Joseph Ramaka and Until the beginnings under the artistic direction of Stephanie Thiersch.
As a dancer with Jant-Bi II, Latif has benefited from a talent grant from the EU’s AWA programme fund since 2021 for professional training, from which he graduated as a performer and choreographer at Ecole Des Sables.
Find out more about the upcoming VERVE Residencies events: www.nscd.ac.uk/whats-on/
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