We are pleased to announce the VERVE RESIDENCIES artists Latif Arafan Wa-hab Diedhiou and Oluwabukunmi Olukitibi
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 delighted to continue with the second iteration of the VERVE Residency, a programme dedicated to connecting with contemporary artists of the global majority, and in particular from the African continent. The work we did in our first year led us to discover even more artists from the continent, and revealed the breadth of practices and artistic inspirations they are offering. The response to this year's open call was inspiring, and made the selection process equally challenging.
After much consideration, I am happy to announce that this year's residencies at NSCD will be awarded to Nigerian multidisciplinary artist Oluwabukunmi Olukitibi and Latif Arafan Wa Hab Diedhiou from Senegal.Both artists bring very different perspectives and approaches to movement, while remaining committed to the body as a site for sharing stories and collecting memories. I know their presence will bring vital new perspectives into 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.
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.
Oluwabukunmi Olukitibi is a Nigerian multidisciplinary movement artist and choreographer whose practice explores embodiment, memory, belonging, and collective experience.
Working across performance, artistic research, movement education, and cultural production, she approaches the body as a site of knowledge, memory, encounter, and transformation. Her movement practice draws from contemporary and traditional African dance, somatic practices, martial arts, and other embodied forms, often creating interdisciplinary works that move between performance, research, and participation.
Oluwabukunmi is the founder of Hearts Heartist, an evolving creative ecosystem established in 2017 through which she develops artistic, educational, wellness, and community initiatives. She is also the founder of ÌMÍ, an annual multidisciplinary residency and festival in Nigeria.
Her work has been developed and presented in Nigeria and internationally, including through the Pina Bausch Fellowship, Prince Claus Building Beyond Fellowship, and Pro Helvetia residency programme. Her practice is increasingly concerned with how bodies, people, and places come together to create meaningful encounters.
Find out more about the upcoming VERVE Residencies events: www.nscd.ac.uk/whats-on/
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