Mezopotamya Dance's current project 'Leyla' approaches the life of Leila Bederkhan as she experienced life and art during her period. Leila Bederkhan accomplished to go down in history as a dancer despite many hardships. She performed 'Belkıs' in Queen of Sheba in La Scala – one of the most famous opera's in history. She is one of the members of a well-known Kurdish family called Bederkhan. Leila was the daughter of Abdulrezzak Bederkhan who was exiled by Ottomans, Leila was brought up without her father.
Choreography: Serhat KURAL
Creative Dancers: Ayhan Karaağaç, İsmet Köroğlu, Yeşim Coşkun, Serhat Kural Music: Nurhak Kılagöz
Poster: Metin Çelik
Light design: Ferhat Güneş
Technic: Dilan Yoğun
Eine Kooperation mit Theaterhaus Berlin Mitte und kulturaustausch.net
about…
Leila grew up under the influence of a mix of cultures of Turkey Egypt and Europe and her artistic process is a reflection of these cultures. She is the pioneer among Kurdish women who danced in 1930's in Europe. She had given Kurdish names to her pieces. Despite the difficulties she faced due to her family's reactions to her art, her life displays a woman's struggle. Thus Mezopotamya Dance approaches her from that perspective: reflecting her struggle as a woman dancer.
"She is the first Kurdish woman who danced on stages across America, Europe, Asia and Africa. A brunette woman who covered herself with silk in deep darkness dances ancient goddess and other legendary woman: İsis, Nefertiti, Belkıs."Leyla Sayfiye