Matthew was appointed Artistic Director of VERVE in 2016, under his direction VERVE became known for its bold commissioning, collaborating with world renowned and fresh choreographic voices like Botis Seva, Maxine Doyle and Sita Ostheimer to create distinct, engaging programmes of dance work, reaching thousands of people each year, onstage, online and in outreach work.
Matthew is excited about sharing his vision for what dance can do with audiences and participants in Wales and beyond.
I saw VERVE from 2010-2014 and 2016 - when they moved disastrously from The Lowry to Z-Arts, severing most of their audience. The company have not performed in Manchester or Salford since so I have missed most of not all of Matthew Robinson's tenure as Artistic Director.
NDCWales are a company I have long had an affection for but they have experienced a few short years of turbulence, with changes at management and artistic level that has sometimes been reflected on stage in recent visits - 2018 being most disappointing I have seen them, although their 2019 tour suggested a return to form with a strong and diverse programme. I would still hold the opinion however - as we enter especially challenging times for mid-size British companies - that they would benefit from some clear artistic leadership and creative vision. So I wish Matthew the best of luck in his new post and I hope to see the company again soon.