"I try to bring to conscious awareness the social, cultural and political subjects that surround me and explore these through the context of unconscious and conscious "selves" using the physical body as my main medium of exploration. The malleable, multiple body is a vessel for unlimited possibilities for understanding our selves in relationship to our place in the world. Through my work, I am able to arrive at a new destination, one that is often unknown, yet to be written but is in flux. This space of the unknown enables one to search deeper into questioning what it means to be human, in which in our contemporary societies today, we are called to confront in the face of mass human and ecological destruction. As a choreographer, I intersect various movement forms, both traditional and contemporary, attempting to move away from singular homogeneous meanings. Working from an intercontextual paradigm, evolving into hybridity towards multiplicity and complexity, in the hope that the works vibrate life into sounds, bodies and spaces, which the unknowns become possibilities to create, challenge, change and inspire".
Nebahat Erpolat
Nebahat was born in Melbourne Australia and has a B.A in Political Science (1994-Montclair NJ/USA, 1995-Melb) and a Masters Qualifying in Research in Gender Studies at Monash University (1999-2000). During this period she commenced performing in political theatre, experimental dance and physical movement to further explore issues pertaining to her academic interests and social inquiry. Her passion for dance theatre led her to study at the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts where she completed her Postgraduate in Dance Animatuering (2003). She draws theoretically from her experiential training in Somatic Psychotherapy (2002 Australian College of Contemporary Somatic Psychotherapy (A.C.C.S.P).
An independent choreographer, performer and writer, she creates both solo works and collaborates on joint projects, in cross-disciplinary art forms encompassing film, photography, ecological, site-specific performance art, Installation, neo-Cabaret and dance movement: intersecting sound, film, voice, narrative and text. Her passion for performance art and arts media drives her to make works that are surreal, evocative, multi-layered and powerful.
Nebahat is currently based in Berlin & Melbourne.
TESTIMONY
"Nebahat has a unique vision and powerful aesthetic in her works. She combines images and themes from her cultural background with contemporary issues and the result is powerful. Intercepting cross-disciplinary elements (sound, music, projected imagery and text). Her work is particular, culturally and aesthetically rich with a strong political female vision".
Bagryana Popov
Theatre Director & Writer.
2003 Post-Gradate Diploma in Dance Animateuring - Victorian
College of the Arts - The University of Melbourne.
2002 Contemporary Somatic Psychotherapy
Australian College of Contemporary Somatic
Psychotherapy (Sch of Jeff Barlow)
2001 Masters Qualifying Research" postgraduate studies
In Gender Issues, Monash University, Clayton.
Bachelor of Arts Political Science - Deakin University
International Exchange 1994-1995, Montclair University New Jersey (U.S.A)
Timeline
2013 (February) 'emptyingthebuCKET' 100 Grad Festival Berlin, HAU-Hebbel am Ufer Germany.
2012 (November 10 & 11) 'Urban Rupture' '10X6' At Ada Studios, Uferstraße 23, Berlin Germany.
2012 (September 20) 'Cultural Memory', Off Europa Festival, Leipzig Germany (http://www.bfot.de)
2012 (April 4) Interviewed by Cohesive t.v Live Berlin.
2012 (March 12) Cultual Memory Performance Art, Performer Stammtisch Berlin.
2012 (January 13) Burqa Intervention Performance Art, Transient Festival 25 days/25 artists, Freies Museum Berlin.
2011 (December 4) Art Critic for "Live Art Review" at Liebig12 Gallery Berlin
2011 (November 23) Cultural Memory Performance Istanbul Contemporary, Art From Berlin, Petra Rietz Salon Galerie
2011 (August 26) Site-specific Performance, Grimmuseum Berlin, "Etiquette Series"
Concept & Performer Nebahat Erpolat.
2011 (July 15) Petra Rietz Salon Galerie, Berlin,"Burka meets.." exhibition & performance by Nebahat Erpolat
2011 (July 8th & 10th) Brotfabrik Berlin, "Make Me Laugh, Make Me Cry"
2011 (April 30) Gallery Weekend Event Berlin, Petra Rietz Salon Galerie, Performance "Your Soul 1", Performers Jens Reulecke, Nebahat Erpolat
2011 (March, Kumburucu 50) , "Make Me Laugh, Mke Me Cry".
2011 (January 12 & 26,) GalataPerform Istanbul, "Make Me Laugh, Make Me Cry", Choreography & Dancer Nebahat Erpolat, Sound Design Gunsel Isik Yilmaz, Photography Osman Urper
2010 (October) performed in "Yes/No" by Vienna based Japanese artist Michikazu Matsune -IDANS Festival Istanbul.
2010 (May) performance - Pes Pese at Galata Perform, Istanbul.
2010 (March) The Lost Sultans - Dance & Video Installation for Performans Gunleri Festival, concept & Choreography Nebahat Erpolat, musician Asaf Yuksel. KargART Istanbul.
2010 - How to make your dream sandwich - Performance N.Erpolat. Opening Party for Performans Gunleri Festival KargART Istanbul.
2010 (Feb) 3 ways to master a kiss or a twentyfiveminutes kiss at your neck - A Dance & Installation Project by Spanish Choreographer Aitana Corderi Vico - Performed in Video Installation Amsterdam Netherlands.
2010 (Feb) an evening with Rosetta - Paleis VaWeemoed Amsterdam Netherlands
2010 la Diva - Cabaret Dance Fusion Flex Bar Amsterdam Netherlands
2010 (March) - an evening with Rosetta & Friends - Seyr-i-Mesel Sanat Taksim Istanbul
2009 (Dec) - an evening with Rosetta & Friends - Seyr-i-Mesel Sanat Taksim Istanbul
2008 - Contemporary Dance Performance with Duoud & Abdulatif Yagoub - Venue GHETTO Istanbul.
2008 - "The Playground" a street photo exhibition, Galata Performance Visibility Project.
2004 - The Lost Sultans: Short Film for A.C.M.I, Australian Centre for Moving Image.
2004 - Breathing In the Serpent: Loop Bar, Myers Place Melbourne. Dancer Daniela Di Fabio, Choreography N.Erpolat. Breathing In the Serpent had its first inception in 2003 performed over four nights at the School of Dance Victorian College of the Arts. This staging intercepted film & dance.
2004 - Joint Collaboration with Musician & Cabaret Performer Peter Vadiveloo.
2004 - Performer with "CROQUE MONSIEUR", Venues: Cape Lounge, Empress & Barbukka.
2003 - Breathing In the Serpent, Studio 1 School of Dance Victorian College of the Arts Melbourne. Dancers Daniel Mounsey, Melissa Coffey, Linda Lassi & Nebahat Erpolat.
2001 - Desire & Pursuit, Femme Fatale Production. Carlton Courthouse Melbourne. A multi-media work, film, sound & dance. Sponsored by MUDfest Melbourne University Drama & Performance Department.
2001 - Inside/Out The Women"s Theatre, Directed Nadja Kostich. Performer, choreographer body movement.
2000 - "pt 2 Arrival: "Resonance". Directed & Choreography by Christou Linou, Performed dance/movement
2000 - "More Than This" The Women"s Theatre directed by Catherine Simmonds & Nadja Kostich: researcher, choreographer and performer.
1999 - Many Cultures, Many Lives" photographic & performance exhibition with dancer Carla Scott, Nth Melbourne.