Muhammed Kaltuk founded Company MEK in 2017 to provide a robust framework for his art and creativity. The company specializes in producing works that blend elements of Hip Hop and Contemporary dance with cultural and traditional dance forms. Embracing diversity, Company MEK has a distinct activist and artistic voice. Their movement language is powerful and unique and, alongside the composition of diverse people, is the clear trademark of the company ensembles. Company MEK stands independently, addressing various societal issues through productions such as “Toxic Political Awareness” at Father Politics, “ “Social gaps” at Hemmige / Theater Luzern, “Refelcting on political dimensions of emotions like e.g. love” at Same Love, and “Territories” at Territory / Theater Basel. Muhammed Kaltuk’s work demonstrates a clear stance on topics relevant to him and society. The widespread interest in Company MEK affirms its relevance to the evolving future landscape. By showcasing the direction contemporary dance should take, supporting Company MEK becomes an investment in the future of the entire field. With its artistic voice, unique message, and broad reach, Company MEK stands out in the arts scene.
Productions
Same Love
Trailer / Site Specific (60 Min)
The audience experiences a performance that encourages rethinking, critically reflects on social norms and presents alternative perspectives on love. The essence of the piece lies in the portrayal of personal experiences and the communication of a message of empowerment that enables the audience to embark on an emotional journey. In the impressive finale, all the dancers unite to make a powerful political statement for empowerment.
Same Love (with UAER)
Trailer / Stage Play (60 Min)
In Same Love, prejudices in the context of love and relationships are critically questioned and challenges are presented through dance. The piece invites the audience to reflect on the acceptance, tolerance and diversity of love. Stereotypes are broken, gender roles are questioned and different forms of love are represented.
Same Love around the world 🌎
We are sending Same Love on a journey!
The production will be revived and presented in various countries with local dancers. The first stops are Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda. Further tours of Same Love “around the world” are being planned and we look forward to inquiries and collaboration partnerships!
Hemmige
Trailer / Stage Play (60 MIN)
To a score that pairs newly composed beats with songs by Mani Matter, a new creation full of power and emotion is created for TanzLuzern. It becomes clear how relevant the work of the Bernese chansonnier still is today. Kaltuk takes a critical look at the divisions and irreconcilability of our society, questioning what social divides do to the individual.
Questions and Inquieres can be made directly to Wanda Puvogel (Dance director and artistic direction Luzerner Theater)
Father Politics
Trailer / Stage Play (60 MIN)
Father Politics unmasks the emotionalization of politics, the opinion mongering and polarization of political advertising campaigns, the influence and deliberate manipulation through differently interpreted, rewritten, twisted and altered truths.
FivE
Trailer / Shortpiece (15 MIN)
Memories of people with whom we have cried stay much longer than those of laughter. Grief is an extreme mental state, perhaps even the most extreme, physical, and enduring one. Grief goes through several stages. These stages: Denial – Anger – Bargaining – Depression- Acceptance, form the basis of this solo. The 5 stages of grief, coined by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, also give the piece its title. During the process of developing the piece, Kaltuk and the dancer extensively dealt with their own biographies and emotional experiences, which they in turn transferred to the 5 phases of grief.
Press reviews
“Rarely have I seen choreography that speaks a message so clearly, so profoundly, and so directly. I applaud choreographer Muhammed Kaltuk’s vivid and original dance imagination, and the dancers of Swiss ensemble Company MEK, who pulled it off with precision, stunning technique, passion and incredible pulsating energy.”
Nicola Claire, SeeingDance (GB) / 26.11.2023 / Father Politics
“Kaltuk does not leave the audience perplexed, but rather brings a lightness to the depth that is often lacking in symbolic, conceptual contemporary dance theater and would do it good.”
Stefan Derschum, Neue Westfälische (DE) / 04.11.2024 / Same Love
“Hemmige exhibits his rare gift of making dance through a movement language that appears fresh and not in any way recycled. It is contemporary movement that is both tightly structured and dislocated; highly rhythmic with pulses that seem to jerk through the dancers’ bodies, especially effective when – as is often the case – the ensemble move as one. The hip-hop elements flavour the movement rather than overwhelm it.”
Graham Watts, Gramilano (CH) / 30.06.2024 / Hemmige
“Company MEK epitomizes the role of the body and kinaesthetic connection in deepening awareness of entanglement. They use the body and its abilities to depict the duplicity of our existence and perhaps that is what is characteristic of their practice. Unlike most classical European dance forms, there is an adamance to depict the real, embrace the natural lines of the body and show its sharp edges, to depict the fluid capability in movement but also the point at which it ends. Movement is their self-generated language through which transformation is communicated and they are thinking about dance and the world in different and exciting ways.”
Afrah Mayet, Bubblegumclub (ZA) / July 2023 / Pro Helvetia Residency
About Muhammed Kaltuk
Choreographer Muhammed Kaltuk was born and raised in Switzerland in a conservative
Turkish family. As an effort to break out of his upbringing, Kaltuk made a name for himself in
the Swiss Hip Hop scene. At the age of 22 he had his first production experience at a theater
and recognized it as a possibility to find his own voice, as a way to artistically deal with the
world. At the age of 25 he started his dance education at the “Höhere Fachschule für Zeitgenössischen und Urbanen Bühnentanz” in Zurich. His goal was to further develop his movement from his background in Hip Hop, but also to get to know and use other dance qualities and styles. That is where he discovered his passion for composing and creating material from the movement repertoire of the dancers he works with, expanding the boundaries of these dancers and intertwining it with his own style and aesthetic ideas of dance. This has become his signature way of working as well as the socially critical, political and personal themes in his creations. His awareness of the world around him fills him with passion to seek change and improvement. His clear voice through movement and the way the work provokes emotions as well as self reflection in his audiences are significant. Wherever he works, he actively networks with the local (dance) scene and promotes it to attract people to the theater. Through his work, he has become an outstanding artistic ambassador for Switzerland as a whole.What sets Muhammed Kaltuk apart is his special ability to reach people with his art (and his concerns) – and how he manages to adapt to the respective context without ever betraying himself.
You need more infos, have a question or want to get in touch with us –
we are looking forward to hearing from you!
Igli Mezini (Company Manager) – iglimezini@companymek.com
companymek.com 