Cosmic Wisdom:
How a Channeled Poem Inspired Me to Create the Solo Piece Ouroboros
By Nejla Yatkin
Art, in its truest form, is a reflection of the soul. As a dancer and choreographer, I often find inspiration in the most unexpected places. This time, it came from a channeled poem—a message from the universe that deeply resonated with me and became the cornerstone of my solo piece, Ouroboros. Rich with cosmic wisdom, the poem inspired a performance that celebrates interconnectedness, transformation, and my nomadic heritage from Anatolia.
The poem arrived during a morning meditation, in the stillness of the COVID-19 lockdown. It was as if the universe itself spoke to me, delivering a message that would shape my artistic vision. Before delving into how this poem influenced Ouroboros, I want to share the words that guided my creative journey. To honor the wisdom of the Divine Goddess, I created a short video that pairs the poem with a rose mandala, symbolizing the eternal cycle of life and rebirth.
The Birth of Ouroboros
Ouroboros is an interactive solo dance that pulls the audience into its core. The poem’s themes of centering, rebirth, and interconnectedness deeply influenced me, shaping the essence of the dance. The performance interweaves text, dance, song, and storytelling with call-and-response infusions, though the poem itself isn’t directly included but imprinted into my psyche and movements.
Conceptualizing the Performance
Ouroboros draws from my nomadic heritage of Anatolia, where communal gatherings around a fire, filled with storytelling, dancing, and singing, are ways to connect, celebrate, and pass down wisdom. These traditions are the roots I grew up with, and through this dance, I return to those intimate circles, emphasizing the importance of sharing and connection.
Embracing Paradoxes: Beauty and Horror, Life and Death
In my culture, dance is central to celebrations, yet paradoxically, public dancing by women is often restricted. This tension is a vital part of Ouroboros, reflecting both the joy and societal constraints I have navigated. The dance also explores the ultimate paradox: life and death. In Ouroboros, they are not opposites but parts of a continuous cycle. The performance moves through phases of creation, destruction, and rebirth, illustrating how each end is a new beginning. This cycle is a lived reality, filled with both beauty and horror, reminding us that joy and sorrow are forever intertwined.
The Healing Power of Dance
Creating and performing Ouroboros has been profoundly centering and clarifying for me. Dance has always been my way to process and integrate my experiences and heritage. Guided by the poem’s messages of centering, change, and connection, I returned to my nomadic beginnings, where sharing in intimate circles is a form of communal healing. The audience, too, felt this healing energy, reconnecting with their centers and confronting personal paradoxes through the interactive, communal nature of the dance.
A Continuous Journey
Ouroboros is not a static piece; it evolves with each performance, much like the eternal cycle it represents. Each audience brings new energy, and each performance reveals new insights, echoing the poem’s message: life is a series of beginnings, a constant return to zero, centering, and starting anew. This dance is a living testament to the power of art to heal, transform, and unite.
Conclusion
Ouroboros exemplifies the transformative power of art inspired by profound truths and deep cultural roots. The channeled poem served as a cosmic blueprint, guiding me to create a deeply personal and universally resonant performance. Through this dance, I hope to continue centering and connecting with others, fostering a shared experience of love, renewal, and interconnectedness.
Ouroboros is a journey of the heart, a dance of the universe, and a celebration of life’s eternal cycle. It honors the paradoxes of existence, showing how beauty and horror, life and death, joy and restriction coexist, shaping our reality and enriching our collective experience.
This dance is as much about the audience as it is about the performer. It calls us to remember our shared humanity, celebrate our differences and similarities, and find strength and beauty in life’s paradoxes. As the performance concludes and the circle opens, the audience leaves feeling part of something greater, timeless, and universal.
Join me in this dance, and let us celebrate the eternal dance of life together.Ouroboros has premiered at Links Hall on March 2024 and will be touring during March – May 2025 in Tampa, Washington, D.C., Houston, Boston and Evanston. Exact dates TBA. For more information please visit www.ny2dance.com
Funding credit
Preview performance supported by Links Hall Co-Commissioning Fellowship, Sybil Shearer Fellowship Award from the Morrison Shearer Foundation, Finalist Grant from the National Dance Project, DCASE Esteemed Artist Award.
The premiere of Ouroboros is a National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by MECA, Art2Action, Dance Complex and NPN.
The premier of Ouroboros is made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
About Nejla Yatkin
2023 Guggenheim Fellow Nejla Yatkin is a movement artist based in Chicago, whose performances are a seamless blend of personal and universal narratives. With a performance style that is at once powerful and fluid, Nejla’s work has been described by The New York Times as “magical” and “fierce.”
Raised in the walled city of West Berlin, Nejla hails from a lineage of nomadic tribes from Anatolia, bringing a unique perspective and a deep appreciation for cultural diversity to her art. Her interdisciplinary approach has led her to create works ranging from solo performances to public art projects, film, and theatre.
Nejla’s ability to connect with audiences on a profound level has garnered her recognition and grants from prestigious organizations such as the Princess Grace Foundation, the National Dance Project, the National Performance Network and the John F. Kennedy Center, among others.
With an unwavering curiosity for the power of movement and its ability to transcend cultural and linguistic barriers, Nejla invites us on a transformative journey of self-discovery and connection. Her work serves as a powerful reminder of the deep currents that unite us all, and the transformative power of storytelling through the universal language of dance. For more information visit www.ny2dance.com.