See Chicago Dance Summer 2023

Choreographer Nejla Yatkin has been ahead of the technological curve for much of her esteemed career. In her latest project, she uses augmented reality for the first time so audiences see dance in a new way: on their smartphones, wherever they are, anytime. And that’s just the beginning. The other notable aspect of this project is that Yatkin has chosen to feature three incomparable Chicago dance artists who are still making new works in their 60s and 70s. In this first iteration, she introduces Kevin Iega Jeff (co-founder and currently emeritus executive artistic director of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater), Hema Rajagopalan (founder and artistic director of Natya Dance Theatre), and Bryan Saner (freelance performer, former member of Goat Island Performance Group, and current member of Every House Has a Door). Yatkin intends to add three new artists each year. Within the app, a viewer can select the dancer they want to see and whether to see them dance before or after the viewer listens to their thoughtful reflections on how and what they are still learning from their aging dancing bodies. Yatkin believes this is a wonderful way for a new, digitally native generation of dancers and dance lovers to “meet” and experience the work of these amazing elders. Which leads to the project’s title, A Dance for A Time Being . Yatkin does not use the more familiar “for the time being.” She is interested in beings, in this case human beings—the ones who do the dancing and the ones who love to engage with it. “Dancers’ bodies accumulate insight and knowledge throughout years of training and life experience,” Yatkin said. “This project asks us to reflect on the body as a Time Being, ever-changing and growing, filled with embodied wisdom.” To experience the work anytime, scan this QR code, download the app*, and follow the prompts. Collaborators for A Dance for A Time Being Featured Artists: Kevin Iega Jeff, Hema Rajagopalan, Bryan Saner Concept and Direction by Nejla Yatkin Filmed by Enki Andrews Edited by Enki Andrews and Nejla Yatkin Augmented Reality and App Development by Eugene Ovcharenko and the team at Intenvix Music by Sathapat Sangsuwan *At this time A Dance for A Time Being is available for use only on Apple devices. To learn more about Nejla Yatkin, visit NY2Dance.com. 12 | SEECHICAGODANCE.COM Spotlight: Nejla Yatkin’s A Dance For A Time Being CELEBRATE INCLUSIVE ARTS July 22, 2023 at the Chicago Cultural Center 78 E Washington St. Free & Accessible Events 11:00am to 5:30pm Dance With Us, Watch A Show, Make Some Art, Relax and Have Fun!