Venza Dance
Founded in 2019 by Quaba V. Ernest, Venza Dance is a project-based, interdisciplinary arts company grounded in curiosity, empathy, and care. The work begins from a personal place—a desire to better understand oneself—and grows outward with the hope of offering others moments of reflection, recognition, and connection. Creating art has long been a sustaining force in Ernest’s life, and Venza Dance continues this practice as both a means of self-discovery and a way to support and inspire others.
Venza Dance functions as a rotating collective of artists, bringing together collaborators across dance, theater, music, film, and installation. Each project is shaped by the people involved, allowing form, process, and perspective to remain fluid and responsive. Through abstract storytelling and movement-driven exploration, the work invites audiences to engage emotionally rather than seek fixed answers—making space for complexity, contradiction, and quiet realization.
At its core, Venza Dance is about listening, sharing, and staying in conversation—using the body as a common language to reflect lived experience and build genuine connection through art.
Venza Dance functions as a rotating collective of artists, bringing together collaborators across dance, theater, music, film, and installation. Each project is shaped by the people involved, allowing form, process, and perspective to remain fluid and responsive. Through abstract storytelling and movement-driven exploration, the work invites audiences to engage emotionally rather than seek fixed answers—making space for complexity, contradiction, and quiet realization.
At its core, Venza Dance is about listening, sharing, and staying in conversation—using the body as a common language to reflect lived experience and build genuine connection through art.
Quaba V. Ernest
Quaba V. Ernest
Quaba Venza Ernest is a St. Lucian-American choreographer, performer, and educator based in Brooklyn, New York. A graduate of SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, he is also an alumnus of Dance Theatre of Harlem and Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School. He was awarded the Thayer Fellowship in the Arts and an Adopt-A-Dancer Scholarship in recognition of his choreographic promise and performance excellence.
Quaba began his professional career with Ballet BC and has since worked with Doug Varone and Dancers, Dual Rivet, Sidra Bell, Loni Landon, Peiju Chienpott, Sleep No More, and The Metropolitan Opera. His choreographic work has been presented at Arts On Site, Triskelion Arts, Chelsea Factory, Jamaica Dance Festival, Cinedanza Film Festival, Making Moves Dance Festival, New Century Dance Project, and the Quinzena de Dança de Almada in Portugal.
He has danced in works by Kimberly Bartosik, George Balanchine, Ronald K. Brown, Sidra Bell, Norbert De La Cruz lll, Maxine Doyle, Sharon Eyal, Kayla Farish, Marjani Forte, Johan Inger, Loni Landon, Sidi Larbi, Ana Maria Lucaciu, Ohad Naharin, Staycee Pearl, Crystal Pite, Jerome Robbins, Ted Shawn, Cayetano Soto, Didy Veldman and Medhi Walerski.
As an educator, Quaba has taught for The Juilliard School and its Summer Intensive, NYU, Peridance, Brenau University, Adelphi University, Steps on Broadway, and MOVE|NYC|. He is currently an adjunct professor at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance.
He is a 2021 Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellow at Jacob’s Pillow, a 2022 Early Career Artist with the Making Moves Dance Festival, and a 2025 resident artist through Pepatián’s Dancing Futures program with BAAD!.
He has been a movement director & choreographer for several galleries, films & music videos including projects for GoalKeepers, Luca Fogale, and Ralph Pucci.
Quaba began his professional career with Ballet BC and has since worked with Doug Varone and Dancers, Dual Rivet, Sidra Bell, Loni Landon, Peiju Chienpott, Sleep No More, and The Metropolitan Opera. His choreographic work has been presented at Arts On Site, Triskelion Arts, Chelsea Factory, Jamaica Dance Festival, Cinedanza Film Festival, Making Moves Dance Festival, New Century Dance Project, and the Quinzena de Dança de Almada in Portugal.
He has danced in works by Kimberly Bartosik, George Balanchine, Ronald K. Brown, Sidra Bell, Norbert De La Cruz lll, Maxine Doyle, Sharon Eyal, Kayla Farish, Marjani Forte, Johan Inger, Loni Landon, Sidi Larbi, Ana Maria Lucaciu, Ohad Naharin, Staycee Pearl, Crystal Pite, Jerome Robbins, Ted Shawn, Cayetano Soto, Didy Veldman and Medhi Walerski.
As an educator, Quaba has taught for The Juilliard School and its Summer Intensive, NYU, Peridance, Brenau University, Adelphi University, Steps on Broadway, and MOVE|NYC|. He is currently an adjunct professor at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance.
He is a 2021 Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellow at Jacob’s Pillow, a 2022 Early Career Artist with the Making Moves Dance Festival, and a 2025 resident artist through Pepatián’s Dancing Futures program with BAAD!.
He has been a movement director & choreographer for several galleries, films & music videos including projects for GoalKeepers, Luca Fogale, and Ralph Pucci.
Photo by Mark MannDesigned by Quaba Venza Ernest