Dengbêj in the Disco

In the organizer's words:

Duration: approx. 60 minutes
Language: German, Kurdish
English version below

What happens to the voice when it moves between languages? What happens when the language of thought is different from the language of feeling? How do you sing when you live between two realities? These questions are at the heart of the singing and storytelling performance Dengbêj in the Disco, which combines traditional Kurdish singing with the story of a singer living in exile. Singer Hêja Netirk and dancer Melisa Diktaş use music, dance and text to show what could happen if a woman became a professional Kurdish dengbêj - a role that is actually reserved exclusively for men.

"Deng" means "sound" and "bêj" means "to tell" in Kurdish. But how do you tell a story when your voice is trapped in another language? Heja Netirk explains: "When I talk to my people, I say: 'I am in exile. When I talk to the others, I say: 'I am a refugee. Let's talk about it."

Do you want to understand?
My situation.
If I tell you I will turn into an explanation.
But a Dengbêj never explains.
We sing and tell stories
To remember
Herstory
We sing in the absence of everybody and everywhere that we know
As Elbphilharmonie is too philharmonic
A Disco welcomes us to forget what we have remembered.
We dance in our melting memory.

English

Do you want to understand?
My situation.
If I tell you I will turn into an explanation.
But a Dengbêj never explains.
We sing and tell stories
To remember
The history
We sing in the absence of everybody and everywhere that we know
As Elbphilharmonie is too philharmonic
A Disco welcomes us to forget what we have remembered.
We dance in our melting memory.

Dengbêj in the Disco is a singing and storytelling performance that combines traditional Kurdish singing with the story of a female singer who lives in exile. "Deng" means "voice" and "bêj" means "to tell" in Kurdish. How can you tell a story when your voice is trapped in another language. When I talk to my people, I say: I am in exile. When I talk to the others, I say: I am a refugee. Let's talk about this.

Concept, artistic direction, performance: Hêja Netirk / choreography, performance: Melisa Diktaş / technical direction, Outside Eye: Alan Ciwan / dramaturgy: Mesut Alp / stage direction: Hüseyin Umaysiz / scenography: Yi-Jou Chuang / music: Carlos Andrés Rico / photo & video: Bora Uluç

Supported by the Claussen-Simon-Stiftung, the Hamburgische Kulturstiftung, the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS, the Kirchlicher Entwicklungsdienst der Nordkirche (KED) and the Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg, Behörde für Kultur und Medien.

Supported by: Probebühne im Gängeviertel and DfdK

Price information:

Reduction information Normal price: The normal price is the regular admission price for all visitors to the LICHTHOF Theater. Reduced price: The reduced price is for those visitors who cannot pay the normal price. The LICHTHOF does not require proof at the box office. Minimum price: The minimum price ticket is an additional discount that can be claimed at your own discretion if the reduced price is still too high. Again, the LICHTHOF does not require proof of this at the box office. Solipreis: The Solipreis supports freelance artists in difficult times. Free ticket: If you are dependent on an accompanying person, they will receive a free ticket. Please contact us directly for this: karten@lichthof-theater.de