WE – Caféturc Music & Arts
Turkey
“WE” draws inspiration from Anatolian esoterism on one hand, and from contemporary philosophy on the other hand, questioning the concepts of “unity in multitude”, “empathy”, “universal ethics”.
Who counts as human? Whose lives count as lives? And, finally, what makes for a grievable life? Despite our differences in location and history, my guess is that it is possible to appeal to a “we”, for all of us have some notion of what it is to have lost somebody…Let’s face it.
Judith Butler, Precarious Life
In “we”, three male dancers in the performance space alternately move through series of trio movement forms in close and constant physical contact, dual action dialogues, and moments of individual outbursts of energy. They dig deep into their memories and bodies striving to explore what binds us together. They tirelessly search for unity in multiplicity while re-enacting and re-staging their experiences of communion and conflict, tenderness and violence, strength and vulnerability, and trauma and healing along the way.
* “WE” was produced for the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet – Modern Dance Ensemble Istanbul (MDTist) and is still in the MDTist repertoire. With our endless thanks to them for their support.
Open discussion and Q&A with the contributors and the audience will follow.
Credits
Created with and performed by: Bedirhan Dehmen, Canberk Yıldız, Cem Yıldız, Mihran Tomasyan
Concept and Choreography: Bedirhan Dehmen
Music: Cem Yıldız
Lighting Design: Kerem Çetinel
Costumes: Günsu Sarı
Lights: Melis Karaman
Social Media: Planning Ponte Dijital
Management: Caféturc Music & Arts
Production: Biz Platform
“WE” was presented:
In Turkey:
Istanbul Modern Art Museum, Basilica Cistern (İstanbul), Fulya Sanat Merkezi (Istanbul. As part of Intercultural Dialogue Day, organized by Istanbul State Opera and Ballet, Modern Dance Ensemble), Moda Sahnesi (Istanbul), Bosphorus University, Karşıyaka Opera and Theatre (Izmir), Tiyatro D22 (Istanbul), Saint Bedros Armenian Church in Gaziantep, Antiphellos Antique Theater in Kas, old byzantine monument the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul, Archeology Museum in Sanliurfa.
Abroad:
Maxim Gorki Theater (Berlin. As part of Voicing Resistance Festival), Suzanne Dellal Center (Tel Aviv. As part of Tel Aviv Summer Dance Festival), Les Halles de Schaerbeek (Brussels. As part of Europalia Arts Festival)
Supported by Anna Lindh Foundation
Duration: 50 min.
Τrailer: https://youtu.be/6uGVVTarHSE
Bedirhan Dehmen
Dancer-choreographer-director-acamedician.
Until 2007, member of Boğaziçi Performing Arts Ensemble.
Danced, choreographed, and/or directed in: Monday in the Sun (2008), Human Writes (2008, The Forsythe Company), Oneness (2010), Off Course (2010, Meg Stuart & Damaged Goods), WE (2014), The Eternal Spring (2015), Fullmoon (2015), Mecnun ve Leyla (2017), The Ballerina (2018), Marathon (2018), Bahr (2021), Aridu (2021).
Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Sociology, Boğaziçi University.
PhD degree in Dramaturgy, Istanbul University.
Associate professor at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Contemporary Dance Department.
Teaches at Koç University as guest lecturer.
Founded Biz Platform in 2021, a platform for co-production/co-labor.
Cem Yildiz
Acknowledged as a “Modern Time Troubadour”, Cem Yildiz graduated from the Istanbul Technical University State Conservatory. Having a prolific career with solo works, series/film soundtracks and collaboration with the international hit Acid Arab, Cem Yıldız has performed in world-famous electronic music festivals and stages in Turkey and Europe, like Montreux Jazz Festival and Sonar Barcelona.
In “WE”, Cem Yildiz, the renowned musician who distinctly re-interprets the Anatolian aşık (troubadour) tradition by introducing psychedelic and acid folk elements, joins and guides the djem (alevi-bektashi ritual) with his electro-acoustic musical universe.