A leading choreographer on the Brazilian scene, Deborah Colker is known for passionately blending various art forms, as evidenced by her experience with Cirque du Soleil and her work coordinating carnival parades in samba schools. In the summer of 2016, she directed the Opening Ceremony of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. With a background not only in dance but also as a professional volleyball player, Colker was appointed as Director of Movement for the Olympics' inauguration, after which she created VeRo, a grand production born from the fusion of two of her early successes: Velox, the piece that brought her to global attention in 1995, and Rota, created in 1997.
Velox, inspired by the world of sports and speed, and Rota, centered around kineticism, have found new life in VeRo, a show that Oriente Occidente is presenting as a European premiere. Here, Colker’s unique use of the human body, which she transforms into a powerful, singular, and expressive instrument of communication, reaches its pinnacle.
Fourteen extraordinary dancer-athletes from the Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker perform a series of visually striking choreographic tableaux, effortlessly traversing all styles of movement: from classical to contemporary, from acrobatics to circus-style feats, all while finding new harmony and poetry in the evocative environments they inhabit. In the first part of the performance, contemporary dance meets everyday gestures, while a 7-meter-high wall becomes a frontier for the dancers to explore. In the second part, a giant wheel dominates the stage, with dancers appearing to float like astronauts in a galaxy, their movements gaining new weight and depth as they transition into slow-motion sequences that demand exceptional control, balance, and physical endurance.
Overflowing with creativity and scenic effects, VeRo is a tribute to physical prowess, the spirit of sports, and the freedom of movement.
