The Other Witch is a multi-media and multi-lingual dance performance featuring elements of contemporary dance, dance ritual, text, sound, and music. The dance solo is a haunting visual experience that alludes to the untamable aspects of Nature. The piece is inspired by and references Mary Wigman’s 1914 dance piece Hexentanz, but recreates itself anew. The Other Witch will premiere as a virtual solo film in three segments.
The dance work will premiere as a virtual solo piece in three segments. It will then be available to travel around the world to recreate itself again and again with a community of multigenerational women, through movement workshops and conversations. During the course of the workshops, new juxtapositions against the solo piece will be developed and may be incorporated into a new piece, co-mingling the solo with the many others to form a new, continually evolving dance conversation around otherness and connectedness, in the context of the powerful archetype of the witch.
Described by The New York Times as “a magician, telling tales and creating worlds” and “a fierce and supple performer,” Chicago-based choreographer Nejla Yatkin travels the globe inspiring empathic connections between people and their environments. She creates solos, choreographs ensemble dances for stages and sites, collaborates on plays and film/video projects, and educates young artists. Nejla hails from Germany; her artistic lineage enfolds European dance-theatre, American modern dance, African American modern dance, and numerous international influences. She is the recipient of awards from the Princess Grace Foundation, the National Performance Network, 3Arts, and the Baryshnikov Arts Center, among others.
Post-show Discussion Schedule:
· Friday, October 23 / 6:00 p.m. // conversation with scholar/dramaturge Susan Manning, writer/choreographer Rika Lin, and Nejla Yatkin, moderated by Ellen Chenoweth
· Friday, October 30 / 6:00 p.m. // conversation with composer Shamou, scholar/dramaturge Susan Manning, and Nejla Yatkin, moderated by Ellen Chenoweth
· Friday, November 6 / 6:00 p.m. // conversation with videographer Enki Andrews and Nejla Yatkin, moderated by Ginger Farley
Nejla’s residency has been supported by a partnership between Chicago Dancemakers Forum, the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago and Performance Response Journal.
Click here to access the performance
https://dance.colum.edu/events/2020/10/23/dance-film-segment-1-with-nejla-yatkin