Neighbours

The makers of Neighbours, Brigel Gjoka and Rauf Yasit, come from Albanian and Kurdish cultures respectively. They got to know each other when they worked together in A Quiet Evening of Dance (2018) by William Forsythe, ‘a game of Twister for advanced players’ (Het Parool). Forsythe turned the ballet world upside down in the 1980s and beyond with deconstructions of classical steps and poses. In A Quiet Evening of Dance, Forsythe opens his toolbox, as it were; all the elements that make his style unique are present. It inspired Gjoka and Yasit to draw on his work in Neighbours, for which Forsythe himself provided advice.
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The dance traditions from which they work add depth and relief: Gjoka's background in contemporary dance gives his movements an amazing dynamism and suppleness; breakdancer Yasit constantly defies gravity with his moves. Rubberlegz was proclaimed 'Best Dancer 2019' by Danza&Danza Magazine because of his 'original language that breaks down barriers between dance genres'.

At the beginning of Neighbours, Gjoka makes a series of wave movements by raising his arm, each time with a slightly different effect, based on the isolated movements of contemporary dance. RubberLegz is more grounded, exploring the body's relationship to the floor, as expressed in breakdance. Only then does the live music of Kurdish musician Ruşan Filiztek begin, a mix of influences from Turkish, Armenian, and Greek traditions. He effortlessly connects what borders keep separated.

Now and then, the dancers freeze in a pose for a while, after which they let the flow of movements start again and enter into a dialogue with each other in an inimitable way.
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From diversity, a new choreographic language seems to emerge, somewhere on the crossroads of urban, classical, and contemporary dance. At first abstract, later with more and more references to the cultural traditions from which they originate. Hypnotising and innovative.

Often they dance together, their arms intertwined, inextricable, like a puzzle that has to be taken apart. The sheer variety of what they show in solos and duets is impressive. Irresistible.

Neighbours Brigel Gjoka, Rauf “RubberLegz” Yasit & Ruşan Filiztek created in collaboration with William Forsythe

A Sadler’s Wells Production with the support of Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels

Co-produced with PACT Zollverein Essen, Pôle européen de création - Ministère de la Culture/Maison de la Danse Lyon, Biennale de la danse de Lyon 2021, Cndc Angers, TAP – Théâtre Auditorium de Poitiers, Sydney Festival, Festival d’Automne à Paris; Chaillot – Théâtre national de la Danse, La Filature, Scène nationale de Mulhouse, Julidans Amsterdam, Théâtre de Liège, MC2: Maison de la Culture de Grenoble, Teatro municipal do Porto, KDF / Kalamata Dance Festival, Torinodanza Festival / Teatro Stabile di Torino - Teatro Nazionale and centre chorégraphique national de Caen en Normandie.
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Choreographers and performers Brigel Gjoka & Rauf “RubberLegz” Yasit
Created in collaboration with William Forsythe
Composer & Musician Ruşan Filiztek, Accords Croisés
Lighting Designer Zeynep Kepekli
Costume Designer Ryan Dawson Laight

Part I World Premiere 29 & 30 November 2019 at PACT Zollverein, Essen, Germany
Developed piece World Premiere 3 & 4 March 2022 at CNDC Angers, France