Sikma (210 Residency)

A piece on aging & memory loss, culminating from a two-month residency

ABOUT THIS PIECE

“Sikma” tells a story of memory loss through the perspectives of workers inside a declining brain. With collaborators Dasha Yurkevich, Derek DiMartini, and Raychel Hatch, and mentor Yayoi Kambara, the creation process has explored themes of productivity and aging, exploring questions like: who are we without our memories?

Two motifs guided this work: (1) filing cabinets as a metaphor for the hippocampus, and (2) monstrous eating as a symbol of a fugue state. Insatiable appetite, a documented symptom in some Alzheimer’s patients was an inspiration—suggesting that while identity may slip away, primal urges remain intact. Though eating ended up taking on new meanings throughout the creation process, and I’d be curious to know your interpretations too!

What’s next: This showing was the culmination of a two-month residency with Studio 210, Winter 2025 cycle. My plan is to continue developing it towards a film and evening length stage work with more artists.

CREDITS

  • Choreography: Tracey Lindsay Chan in collaboration with the cast & contributing artists

  • Cast / Performers: Dasha Yurkevich, Derek DiMartini, Raychel Hatch

  • Playing the Senses: Olesya Elfimova, Yayoi Kambara, Alex Foy, Emily Engelking-Rappaport

  • Contributing Artists: Olesya Elfimova, Erin Yen

  • Music: Nómada by Kaleema, Recovery by Rival Consoles

  • Sound: Tracey Lindsay Chan

  • Props & Costumes: Tracey Lindsay Chan, Ben Crabtree, Jamie Aquino and the cast

  • Film Insert: Tracey Lindsay Chan with Adobe Stock

  • Performance Documentation + Editing: Jacob Marks Productions

SPECIAL THANKS

To Olesya Elfimova and Erin Yen who are overall lovely humans and brought wonderful creative energy to the studio, graciously standing in when we were short on cast members in rehearsals.

Performance Stills

Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me

Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me
Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me
Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me
Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me
Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me
Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me
Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me
Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me
Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me
Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me
Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me
Captured by Kat Lin, Edited by me
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The Cast

  • Dasha Yurkevich

    they/them, @dashayurkevich

    Dasha is a dancer, choreographer, educator, and artist. Born and raised in San Francisco by their parents who immigrated from Uzbekistan, they trained at the San Francisco Ballet School, Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, and ODC. They are an advocate for youth empowerment and leadership in the outdoors, having started Youth Bike America to provide outdoor experiences through bike touring. Dasha is currently training in capoeira, studying Anthropology at UC Berkeley, and is a paraeducator at Argonne Elementary.

  • Derek DiMartini

    he/him, @derek.moves

    Creator. Performer. Movement Artist. Bodyworker. Derek embraces dance as a medium that can recontextualize how we take up space in the world.  Drawn to moments of transformation, he is preoccupied with creating environments where the multiplicity of being can be revealed. As a performer, he effortlessly interweaves moments of full-bodied abandon with delicate tenderness and emotional authenticity. Derek is a founding member of Hypothetical Circus, and has performed with LEIMAY Ensemble (New York), Human Shakes, Epiphany Dance Theater, and Erik Wagner, among others.

  • Raychel Hatch

    she/her, @rayyychel

    Raychel is a movement artist based in the Bay Area. She holds a B.A. in Performing Arts & Social Justice, with a concentration in dance, and a B.A. in Psychology from University of San Francisco. She has worked with the Dance Generators (an intergenerational dance company ages 18-90), Robert Moses, First Voice, dNaga Dance, and ODC's Pilot 74 mentorship program. She is happily pursuing her M.A. in Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University as of 2024. Her creative world explores embellished expressivity, interconnectedness, culture, and community building.