COCA Dance Companies to Present VERVE Featuring New Works by Guest Choreographers
The season-ending production will take place in May at the Catherine B. Berges Theatre.
Ballet Eclectica and COCAdance, COCA (Center of Creative Arts)‘s Pre-Professional Division dance companies, will showcase new choreographic works from renowned guest artists for their season-ending production of Verve, May 8–10, 2026, in the Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA. Performances are Friday, May 8 at 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, May 9 at 7:00 p.m.; and Sunday, May 10 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
“Ballet Eclectica and COCAdance have always upheld a standard of excellence, and this spring performance is a brilliant culmination of the 40-year legacy that precedes me. Celebrating this work is the perfect way to honor our past while looking forward to a thrilling future. We invite the community to experience this beautiful tradition with us now, and to continue the journey as we evolve into our next era of programming,” said Jay Staten, Artistic Director of Dance at COCA.
Verve is the culmination of the dance companies' work throughout the season and will feature 12 dance works across three different programs. The performances will highlight the versatility and exceptional talent of the young artists, ages 10 to 18, in Ballet Eclectica, COCA's classical and contemporary ballet company, and COCAdance, COCA's modern and contemporary dance company.
This year, audiences will witness an inspiring tribute to Miles Davis in honor of his 100th birthday with a piece choreographed by Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Interim Artistic Director of Dance at COCA. This performance weekend also celebrates the graduating seniors in COCA's Pre-Professional Division Dance Program. On opening night, graduating seniors will perform a solo piece and share their senior statements, an annual tradition.
To prepare for Verve, COCA's Pre-Professional Division dance companies experience creative development residencies with guest artists from around the world. Guest choreographers include:
- Lauren Anderson, former principal dancer with Houston Ballet
- Austin Coats, dancer with EVIDENCE
- Thang Dao, choreographer and educator based between Los Angeles and New York City who has choreographed for organizations such as Ailey II and Philadanco
- Kirven Douthit-Boyd, artistic director at Saint Louis Dance Theatre
- Julien Guérin, former dancer and performer with the Ballets de Monte Carlo who has choreographed for institutions such as the Opéra de Nice and Ballet de l'Opéra-Théâtre Eurométropole de Metz
- Arpège Lundyn, dancer with Saint Louis Dance Theatre
- Levi Philip Marsman, instructor at Urbanity Dance and in the Ailey Extension program at the Ailey School
- My'Kal Stromile, former dancer with Boston Ballet
Tickets to Verve are $24 and may be purchased at cocastl.org or by contacting the COCA Box Office at 314.561.4873.
- Group Ticket Rate: Discounted ticket rate available for groups of 10 or more.
- Student Rush Tickets: $5 student tickets available in person at COCA's Box Office starting Monday, May 2, 2026.
The 2025–2026 COCApresents Season is presented by Amy, Sacha, and Gray Lefton and is supported by Caryl Sunshine, Kwame Building Group, Mercy, Missouri Arts Council, Regional Arts Commission, Steward Family Foundation, and Herbert A. and Adrian W. Woods Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee. Verve Supporting Show Sponsor is the COCA Advisory Board.
ABOUT COCA
COCA's mission is to enrich lives and build community through the arts. For 40 years, COCA has served as a regional hub for learning in and through the arts for all ages from all backgrounds. One of the most diverse cultural institutions in St. Louis, COCA serves more than 65,000 students, audience members, artists, and families from more than 300 zip codes every year. The fourth largest multi-disciplinary arts organization in the country, COCA is committed to supporting the vitality and creativity of more than 200 artists at the heart of their work in schools, community centers, local businesses, cultural organizations, and onsite at its campus in University City.
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