“RITUALS” – A Choreographic and Digital Performance
video teaser, photos at the bottom of the page
World Premiere, May 10, 2025
Mukam Palace, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Jean-Marc Matos: Concept, choreography, sound, visual, and light design
Margherita Bergamo: Assistant choreographer and performer
Dancers: Ogulshat Ahmedova, Aygul Kakayeva, Selbi Muhammedova, Evgeniya Titova
(State Dance Ensemble “Mengli”), Islam Abdylnebiyev, Ovezdurdy Charyyarov, Bezirgen Saryyev, Dayanch Yazgylyje (Turkmen State Dance Ensemble)
Arnaud Courcelle: Design and programming of the interactive digital system “Focale-Z”
Göwher Gouvernet and Mukam Palace: Costumes
Music:
TASSAN DAYZA FON 2025
Turkmen Folk Music (Garaşsyz, Bitarap Türkmenistanyň Döwlet Gimni)
Pelican Daughters – Auld Acquaintance
Mesopotamian music HQ blacktiger
Daniel Brandt
Barker
Dutar recordings
Turkmen Ethnic Dili Tuiduk, and Techno music Mugam DJ
The performance RITUALS draws inspiration from movements found in traditional dances from around the world and brings them into dialogue with contemporary dance and an interactive digital system on stage.
Conceived as an artistic dialogue between Europe and Turkmenistan, this project pays vibrant tribute to the Turkmen Kushdepdi, inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and proposes a ritual for the 21st century.
In the first part, a traditional Kushdepdi is performed by the Akjayar Folk Ensemble from the Balkan region.
Organised by
Danse Company, the French Institute in Turkmenistan, the Mukam Palace of the Turkmen National Cultural Center
In partnership with The Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan, the Delegation of the European Union to Turkmenistan, the French Embassy and the Italian Embassy in Ashgabat, the Goethe-Institut in Kazakhstan
With support from
EUNIC “European Spaces of Culture”, the French-German Cultural Fund and the French Institute in Paris
More information
RITUALS, an original production mixing traditional Kushdepdi dance and contemporary dance, for a 8 dancers of the two National Companies. Recipient of 2025 EUNIC Call for Proposals, European National Institutes of Culture https://www.eunicglobal.eu/
Creation of a choreographic work to imagine a contemporary 21st-century folk dance, for both men and women, inspired by the themes and movements of the Turkmen dance Kushdepdi.
A contemporary reinterpretation of the Kushdepdi dance, where collective energy and the ritual of encounter transform into an evolving choreographic language, exploring the tension between tradition and future.
Emotional evolution inspired by the Kushdepdi, reimagined as a contemporary folk dance of the 21st century.
Kushdepdi is a traditional Turkmen dance characterized by energetic movements, jumps, and rhythmic clapping and stomping, symbolizing strength, joy, and communal celebration. Incorporating the underlying themes of this dance into a contemporary creation allows for the exploration of a rich emotional progression, reflecting both cultural heritage and modern interpretation.
Conclusion
Drawing inspiration from Kushdepdi, the focus is placed on emotional evolution within a 21st-century contemporary folk dance that offers a rich palette of expression—honoring tradition while embracing innovation. It reflects the emotional journey of a community navigating between cultural heritage and modernity, culminating in a renewed collective celebration.
Artistic director: Jean-Marc Matos
Choreographic assistant and dancer: Margherita Bergamo Meneghini (Cie Voix)
Costume design: Göwher Gouvernet https://youtu.be/Qng3v4phUX8?si=sDqDMphGJJsrUzKg
photos credits: Ahmet Halyyev
Video shooting and editing: Vepa Seyitniyazov
