Artists Reach Out: Nejla Yatkin

Dear friends,

Welcome to Artists Reach Out: reflections in a time of isolation. I dreamed this series of interviews out of grief for my work both as a documenting arts writer and curator of live performance. In this time of social distancing, we are called to responsibly do all we can to safeguard ourselves and our neighbors. It is, literally, a matter of life and death.

But there's no distancing around what we still can share with one another--our experiences, thoughts, wisdom, humor, hearts and spirit. In some ways, there are more opportunities to do so as we pull back from everyday busyness out in the world and have time to honor the call of our inner lives.

So, let me introduce you to some artists I find interesting. I'm glad they're part of our beautiful community, and I'm eager to engage with them again (or for the first time) in years to come.

--Eva Yaa Asantewaa, InfiniteBody

Nejla Yatkin

Nejla Yatkin
(photo: Enki Andrews)

Dance artist Nejla Yatkin conducts embodied research and creates storytelling through movement, engaging culturally with her ancestral roots as a German-Turkish-American raised and educated in Berlin, Germany. Working professionally for over 30 years, her career as a performer, educator, and choreographer has taken her around the world. Currently based in Chicago, Yatkin is an independent choreographer. She creates solo and ensemble works for the stage and constructed or natural sites both indoor and out; is an active guest educator at the professional and university levels; and is a sought-after guest choreographer.

The topics of her work explore diverse cultures and histories, inspired by significant dates, places, and cultural figures in the world. Her notable creations include The Berlin Wall Project (2008) and Oasis: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The Middle East but Where Afraid To Dance (2013); Dancing with Cities (2007), a site-specific work that took place in New York, Washington, DC and Berlin and Dancing Around The World (2015) which has traveled to 20 cities around the world. In addition to creating for her own project-based company NY2Dance, Yatkin has choreographed works for Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Dallas Black Dance Theater, The Modern American Dance Company, River North Dance Company and Washington Ballet among many others.

In all her projects, Yatkin seeks what British philosopher and historian Isaiah Berlin refers to as an “awareness of the deep currents”--a comprehension of the connection between all things, an awareness of the present as well as that which transcends time and space. The New York Times says "Ms. Yatkin is after more than choreography. She is a magician, telling tales and creating worlds with understated images and movement." Her skill and depth of feeling has been recognized by numerous awards and grants from entities including the 3Arts Foundation, the Princess Grace Foundation-USA, the National Performance Network, the Illinois Arts Council, The Chicago Dancemakers Forum and many more. For more information visit www.ny2dance.com.

Moving Nature Dreams by Nejla Yatkin
(photo Enki Andrews)

Oasis by Nejla Yatkin
(photo: Enki Andrews)

Do you have a current or planned project whose progress is affected by the pandemic?

Yes, I have been working on a solo entitled The Other Witch with support by the Chicago Dancemakers Forum and the Chicago Department For Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and I had some open showings with critical feedback sessions scheduled at the Chicago Cultural Center for March. For April, I was awarded a 3Arts artist residency at the Camargo Foundation in Cassis, France to continue the rehearsal process. After, I was scheduled to travel to Spain, Portugal and Germany for informal sharings of the work. This all got cancelled due to Covid-19 and, like everyone else, I am homebound, but I am grateful to be in the safety of my home and grateful that we have tools like this blog where we can share with each other and learn from each other's experiences.

I was thinking about previous pandemics like the Spanish flu and the Black Death and feeling appreciative that we have the technology to stay connected and even get daily briefings. I am grateful that we can communicate with loved ones through so many channels.

Briefly, tell me about how you got involved in the arts and in your particular practice.

I became an artist because the arts—dance especially—offered so many of the things I wanted in my life. Creativity, cooperation, optimism, humility, grace. Dance allows me to be vulnerable, experiential and curious. I never stop learning, I feel like I am always in process, growing and changing. Dance encourages dialogue, and discipline, strength, and resilience! It taught me patience, and the thing that really brought it all home for me is that it teaches empathy. Dance moves us to want to know the Other.

In a more specific way, what are you practicing? And what are you envisioning?

Currently, I am practicing listening, listening to my body, listening to my thoughts. I follow the impulses of my body and move to the rhythm of my breath in the comfort of my living room. I am listening to my partner, I am listening to my plants and listening to the world. I wake up meditating and envisioning a healed and just world where everyone has healthcare and access to basic human needs and where people are kind and stand in solidarity with each other. I am envisioning more wisdom where people come together to work together and collaborate to find solutions to our current challenges of climate change, equality, racial and social justice.

How does your practice and your visioning align with what you most care about?

I deeply care about humanity, I care about nature and the planet, I care about equality for all, for social justice but I also care about balance. I wake up and reflect on how I can contribute and adjust my behavior so that it aligns with what I care about. I alone can’t change the world, but I can inspire people through my own actions and behavior.

In my art, I am drawn to the power of human connections and, because I care about humanity, I have been focusing on collaborative community-based site-specific performances around the world (see here). They are like planting seeds in places to spark new ideas and empower people to imagine new possibilities. I try to make my dances available whenever it is possible through free presentations in streets, galleries, parks, prisons, theaters and social media.

I care about our environment and other sentient beings so I am a Vegan. How can I practice non-violence if I don’t include or consider other species? I am also a Reiki practitioner, and I daily send healing energy to Mother Earth. I try not to use a car whenever I can. I walk, bike or take public transportation. These actions are like a butterfly flapping its wings, and you never know what string of escalating events it will inspire….

How does your practice function within the world we have now?

In the last couple of weeks, while homebound, I have been connecting virtually with artist friends and family and just talking, laughing, grieving, crying, dreaming together. I also have days where I just use my hands a lot to bake bread, clean my home, knit and cook to be present in the here and now.

In between the daily tasks, I am trying to listen to how best I could share with the rest of the world my movement practice. So I started sharing weekly very simplified short dance wisdom exercise tools on YouTube. It’s for anybody who wants to take a break to explore movement concepts from the comfort of their home. I believe that dancing and moving are very powerful. They connect you to that inner light that lies deep within your core.

Briefly share one self-care tip that has special meaning to you now.

Every evening I hum and sing to myself. Humming not only lifts your spirits, it clears your head. I practice singing in Italian, German, Turkish, English, French and Spanish. By singing everyday, I am tuning my frequency but also practicing languages I have learned and don’t usually get to practice daily.

According to physics, everything vibrates: the chair you’re sitting in, the food you eat, the rocks and trees. Whether or not we hear it, everything has a frequency, a vibration of its own. That vibration is called resonance, the frequency at which an object naturally vibrates. Each part of our bodies has its own natural resonance, and I am practicing this as a daily tuning of myself to send the loving frequency of the world.

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DISCLAIMER: In addition to my work on InfiniteBody, I serve as Senior Curatorial Director of Gibney. The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views, strategies or opinions of Gibney.

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