That which resides at the borders of existence…
Melisa Diktaş
Location: CC Amstel, de Theaterzaal, Theater de Krakeling
Dates:
- GENRE: Dance
- THEMA: Fringe Award Winner 2024, Speaking Bodies, The female voice
- TAAL: Language No Problem
- Toilet for wheelchair users: yes, Wheelchair accessible: yes
duration of the performance: 50 min
Celebrating the wild, in all its facets and dimensions, with all its repression, suppression, tyranny, despotism, and denial of self. The body bears a fragment of concealed memories and the present within. An “ancient wisdom” that exists beyond linear time—what embodies immortality, what represents existence itself.
It is intuition; it is the foresight; it is the keen listener and it whispers in nocturnal dreams. It is not only a gentle hand that leads you, but also a force that challenges you, tests you, and awakens you. It is the fire of urgency, the softness of wisdom, the resilience of the psyche.
Experience the power of survival and expression in the solo performance of Melisa Diktaş. A visceral journey through struggle, resistance, and deep-rooted resilience. An unending battle — carried by an untamable being wrapped in the rhythms of the Dahul, the drum that stirs the ground beneath our feet.
Biography
Melisa Diktaş is a dancer of Kurdish and Indonesian descent, born in the Netherlands. She primarily works as a performer in theatrical productions, collaborating with a wide range of companies, choreographers, poets, and events. Since graduating nine years ago, she has consistently engaged with the professional field, gaining a wealth of experience and continuously refining her craft.
Her solo performances are rooted in her unique movement language and personal worldview, reflecting her beliefs and cultural background. Melisa approaches creation from a deep connection to origin. Her work explores both what unites us and what sets us apart.
‘Dat wat ontembaar is’ She presented her work-in-progress at various esteemed venues, including the WIPCOOP Festival 2023 in Brussels .Additionally, she participated in the Amsterdam Fringe Festival 2024, where her performance won the Fringe at Best Award 2024. She also took part in the RIGHTABOUTNOW Festival 2024 and performed her work in numerous locations across the country. In April 2025, she was honored with the BNG Dance Prize for ‘Dat wat ontembaar is’. The performance is set to tour, alongside the duet Antibodies by Korzo creator Constantin Trommlitz, as part of the DansClick 27 format.
