On the Verge

On the Verge is a shared dance performance with work by Quilan Arnold, Emily Berry, Kevin McEwen, and Malcolm Shute. The group brings different movement forms together, including West African, Contemporary, and House. Their dances express diverse perspectives about humanity within dire circumstances. From remembering Haitian revolutionary cries to mourning cries for a lost father, On the Verge uses an array of forms to showcase the colorful ways we cope, we heal, we celebrate, and we overcome. 

On the Verge takes place at the Green Space in Queens. Founded in 2005 by Valerie Green, Green Space creates an intimate theater experience with rich lighting and close interaction between audience and performer.

The evening includes works by four choreographers:

• Within "True Move: Quilan'' Quilan "Cue" Arnold explores relationships between movement, meaning, and emotionality. He asks, 'how do I use movement to conjure authentic emotionality, and how do specific emotions evoke distinct patterns through my body? 

• Emily Berry's new dance began with a phrase created shortly after pandemic isolation. The exhilaration of moving in space, falling, sweeping, and surrendering was overwhelming. Coming together with brilliant artists to take risks, catch and be caught, and make connections is the foundation of the work.

• "Nago" is a folkloric dance about the Haitian revolution. Choreographed by Kevin McEwen for Kofago Dance Ensemble, "Nago" pays homage to the people who gave their lives for freedom, and the energy that galvanized those people to fight. 

• "Shadowing," a duet by Malcolm Shute, explores the relationship between the living and the dead. Shute aligns his torso with Katie Sopoci Drake as she curls her arms to the side, embodying her shadow, her ghost. In "It's Complicated," Shute and dancer Alexander Short fly through each other's arms upon a massive bed, intricately linking bodies and hearts.