»Thieves From Heaven« explores one of the most powerful myths in Yoruba culture: the story of Àbíkú—the »Spirit Child.« This myth is not only an integral part of Yoruba cosmogony, but it is also closely linked to the history of the pre-colonial West African kingdom of Oyo. The interpretations of the myth and its stories are as diverse as Nigerian society itself. In this project, a young generation of Nigerian dance artists, in collaboration with the Christoph Winkler Company, explores the myth of the spirit children. They reexamine the stories and their numerous interpretations against the backdrop of their own identities and use them as the basis for a choreographically inspired work.
Since 1996, Christoph Winkler has created more than 80 dance pieces as a freelance artist and is one of Germany’s most distinguished and versatile choreographers. His work encompasses a wide range of formats and spans themes from the deeply personal to the political. Under the umbrella of the Company Christoph Winkler, he brings together dancers from all over the world to collaborate as temporary collectives on a wide range of themes.
