OURBOROS By Nejla Yatkin to Embark On Five-City National Tour

Guggenheim Fellow and award-winning choreographer Nejla Yatkin will embark on a five-city national tour of her acclaimed solo work, Ouroboros, starting February 28, 2025. The tour will bring this groundbreaking performance to five cities, combining movement, live music, and storytelling to explore themes of memory, interconnectedness, and renewal.

Following its world premiere at Links Hall in Chicago on March 8, 2024, Ouroboros has evolved into a powerful theatrical solo dance performed in the round, where the audience is invited to engage with its exploration of paradoxes, cycles, and transformation.

With stops in Evanston, Washington, DC, Boston, Tampa, and Houston, the tour promises to leave a lasting impression on audiences nationwide.

Tour Dates and Locations:

• February 28 & March 1, 2025: Studio5, Evanston, IL

• March 14 & 15, 2025: Dance Place, Washington, DC

• March 22 & 23, 2025: The Dance Complex, Boston, MA

• March 28-30, 2025: Stageworks Theatre, presented by Art2Action, Tampa, FL

• April 4&5, 2025: The Ensemble Theater, presented by MECA, Houston, TX

About Ouroboros

Inspired by the ancient Middle Eastern symbol of a snake eating its own tail, Ouroboros takes audiences on a journey through the cycles of time, nature, and culture. Incorporating contemporary and Middle Eastern dance styles, the piece features original compositions, multiple languages (English, German, Turkish, ASL, and movement), and live music, creating a multi-sensory experience.

"Ouroboros reclaims the original power of dance," says Yatkin. "For millennia, dance mirrored and imitated nature to understand ourselves and the world. Every time we come together in a circle, we heal a thread of connection that has been broken."

The development of Ouroboros has been supported by the National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund and co-commissioned by MECA, Art2Action, The Dance Complex, and NPN. Additional support includes the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Dance Project, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The work also received funding from the Links Hall Co-Commissioning Fellowship, the Sybil Shearer Fellowship Award, the DCASE Esteemed Artist Award, and a Finalist Grant from the National Dance Project.

Community Engagement and Outreach

Each stop on the Ouroboros tour will include workshops, site visits, and community engagement events, ensuring audiences not only witness the performance but connect deeply with its themes of renewal and transformation.

About Nejla Yatkin

Guggenheim Fellow Nejla Yatkin is a German-born choreographer and performer celebrated for her ability to create deeply resonant works that bridge cultures and disciplines. Her choreography and solo performances have been recognized with numerous awards, including the National Dance Project grant, the DCASE Esteemed Artist Award, The Princess Grace Fellowship Award and the Sybil Shearer Fellowship among many others. Known for her ability to bridge cultures and stories, Yatkin creates works that resonates across time and space. For more information about Nejla Yatkin visit www.ny2dance.com

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