Quiet but powerful.
First presented in 2012, Sakinan Göze Çöp Batar (translated as “An Over-Protected Eye Always Gets Sand in It”) is a solo performance by the French choreographer Christian Rizzo, created in collaboration with Turkish dancer Kerem Gelebek. This work is an eloquent exploration of vulnerability, exile, and the complexity of the human experience: a masterclass in minimalist choreography which brings a quiet, introverted power to the stage.
Rizzo’s ability to blend visual art with dance is evident in the design of the piece. The set, though sparse, is highly evocative. A wooden container, simple lighting, and the neutral color palette create an atmosphere of starkness and solitude. The space around Gelebek feels vast, almost infinite, emphasizing his isolation within it. The resulting effect is a performance which feels both intimately expansive, as though we are peering into the dancer’s internal world.
The piece begins with Gelebek seated on a plain wooden container. As the work unfolds, the choreography takes on a meditative quality. Rizzo’s approach to movement is deeply introspective, drawing from the traditions of contemporary dance and visual art. The gestures are deliberate and spare, with subtle shifts and pauses conveying the internal struggle of someone caught between exile and the desire for connection. There is a tension between restraint and release, the choreography often depicting the dancer as both fighting against and surrendering to the forces within him. Throughout the piece, Gelebek removes his shoes, watch, shirt and rucksack, setting the tone for the piece physically: the act of shedding one’s layers.
Rizzo’s choreography invites the audience into a world of isolation. While it may be quieter in its delivery, it is no less powerful. It offers a profound reflection on the human condition that resonates across cultures and experiences.