Nejla Yatkin
Independent Dancer and Choreographer
Choreographer and dance educator, Nejla Yatkin, is a 2023 Guggenheim Fellow in choreography and a globally acclaimed dance artist. Born in Germany and earning a degree in Contemporary Dance from Die Etage in Berlin, Yatkin came to the US in 1995 and performed with companies such as Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble and Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, collaborating with choreographers including Donald McKayle, Eleo Pomare, and Katherine Dunham. She has served as Associate Professor at the University of Maryland and the University of Notre Dame and guest taught at institutions including Harvard University and the Bates Dance Festival. Yatkin’s film, Witches Cradle, inspired by Maya Deren, toured international dance film festivals; in Chicago, her performance of The Other Witch debuted at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in 2024, supported by the Illinois Arts Council.