Kadir “Amigo” Memiş, dancer, choreographer, and founder of the internationally acclaimed hip-hop group Flying Steps, grew up in Anatolia. In 1984 his parents brought him to Berlin. When he dances, stages, or draws, memories of his childhood inspire him. He was one of the first artists in Germany to combine hip-hop with other elements. For example, for his production Zeybreak, he mixed elements of the traditional Turkish folk dance the zeybek with movements from breakdance. In addition to his dance productions, he has been active in the street art scene for many years; in 2003, for instance, he was part of the exhibition project Backjumps – The Live Issue together with artists such as Banksy, Obey, Akim, and Datagno. Memiş is also devoted to calligraphy. Like the movements in his choreographies, the lines of his drawings always strive for a form in which intuition and reflection are in harmony. His work blurs the boundaries between the performing and the visual arts.
 
Kadir “Amigo” Memiş was a resident at Tarabya Cultural Academy from January to April 2019.