A Cumbrian dancer will perform in his home county when VERVE comes to the Theatre By The Lake in Keswick, next week.

The bold new dance work, described as adventurous, athletic and absorbing, features 13 dancers from Chile, Italy, Portugal, Singapore, Uruguay, the UK and Ferghas Clavey, who is originally from Kendal.

Ferghas gave a question and answer interview about his role as a dancer with VERVE, the postgraduate company of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Ferghas, who initially found a love for movement through rock climbing and parkour, later developed a passion for dance, joining Cumbria Youth Dance and Lowry Centre for Advanced Training in Manchester.

How is the VERVE tour going so far Ferghas? "So far I'm enjoying the challenges that touring presents as it is new to all of us in the company. It's fun and exciting to experience new spaces and be able to bring our work to people all around the UK."

Could you tell us a bit about the rehearsal process and the development of the show? "For each of the four choreographers we have three to four weeks to create and produce a 20 minute piece.

"We spend most of the time in the studio creating and rehearsing but after the pieces take their form we take the works into the theatre to make sure they are stage ready. The whole creation process lasts around five to six months and we will be touring for around three months.

Do you have a favourite part of the show, or anything you’re particularly proud of? "My favourite part of the show is during Shutdown by Noa Zuk; the whole company are on stage dancing and grooving. It creates a real sense of community for us and I feel this experience is passed onto the audience too. The movement during this section is extremely precise with the music - it’s tricky but rewarding."

How did you get into dance? Were you particularly inspired by any companies, or individual dancers, or did you see a show that particularly sparked a passion? "I first started dancing at a local boys youth dance club at the Brewery Arts Centre when I was around 13 years old, and many teachers and peers along the way have been a massive inspiration for me.

"I always had a passion for performing and creating dance but it wasn't until I watched Hofesh Shechter’s Political Mother that I started taking dancing more seriously; being able to watch such an amazing company really helped me to decide to pursue a career in dance."

Where in the Lakes are you from? What are you most looking forward to about performing at Theatre by the Lake/in your home county? "I'm from Kendal and I can’t wait to show the other company members what an amazing place the Lakes is. Being able to perform back in my home county after being away for a long time will be a really rewarding experience for me."

VERVE perform a Mixed Bill on the Main Stage at Theatre by the Lake on March 22, with tickets from £8. Find out more at www.theatrebythelake.com or by calling the Box Office on 017687 74411.