HCCDF Presents: Fall Equinox Master Class with Nejla Yatkin

Balancing Light & Dark: A Fall Equinox Journey in Motion-Join Guggenheim Fellow and Award-Winning Choreographer Nejla Yatkin for a transformative Fall Equinox Dance Master Class that invites you to honor the balance between light and dark, motion and stillness, giving and receiving. As we arrive at this moment of perfect equilibrium, we’ll explore the subtle beauty of transition—the quiet turning of the seasons and the body’s natural rhythms shifting toward rest and renewal.Through embodied movement and contemporary dance exploration, including low-flying floor work and European-style improvisation, we’ll work with nature’s patterns—circles, spirals, waves, lines, and branching—to embody the interplay of grounding and expansion. Moving between earth and air, we’ll investigate qualities of both “light” and “dark” in our dancing, seeking moments of harmony and integration.Participants will be guided through a dynamic journey that begins with deep floor-based connections, rises into expansive traveling sequences, and culminates in a meditative group dance honoring balance, gratitude, and the cyclical wisdom of nature.Open to all levels, this workshop offers a space to reconnect with your body, the earth, and the turning wheel of the seasons. Come dance the balance, embody the beauty of transition, and celebrate the harmony of the Fall Equinox in community.

Nejla Yatkin is an internationally acclaimed German-American choreographer, dancer, and creative visionary known for her emotionally powerful solo performances and richly layered choreographic works. Her artistic voice weaves together contemporary dance, cultural memory, and storytelling to explore themes of identity, transformation, and the cyclical nature of time.

A 2023 Guggenheim Fellow in Choreography, Nejla is a three-time recipient of the Princess Grace Award and was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch”. She has created compelling new works for leading companies such as Dallas Black Dance Theatre, River North Dance Chicago, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble and many others , while also touring her solo projects across five continents.

Based in Chicago, Nejla continues to innovate through interdisciplinary collaborations, public space performances, and projects that bridge the spiritual and the physical through movement. For more information visit www.ny2dance.com

Host or Publisher Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival